Latest news with #anti-Jewish
Mint
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Mint
Trump to pull US out of UNESCO again, citing bias toward Palestine and China: ‘Totally out-of-step'
The United States will again withdraw from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), marking another reversal of President Joe Biden's multilateral approach, according to reports citing US and European officials. The move is part of President Donald Trump's renewed campaign to distance the US from international institutions he deems hostile or unaligned with American interests. 'President Trump has decided to withdraw the United States from UNESCO — which supports woke, divisive cultural and social causes that are totally out-of-step with the commonsense policies that Americans voted for in November,' said White House deputy spokesperson Anna Kelly, as quoted by The New York Post. The administration cited the agency's pro-diversity, equity and inclusion policies, and a perceived bias in favor of Palestine and China. A White House official told the news outlet that UNESCO 'has leveraged its influence to advance global standards favorable to Beijing's interests' and 'force through anti-Israel and anti-Jewish actions.' UNESCO, headquartered in Paris, is best known for designating World Heritage Sites. However, US officials have objected to some recent listings, accusing the agency of politicising heritage by designating Jewish holy sites as 'Palestinian World Heritage.' This is not the first time the US has parted ways with the agency. The country first withdrew from UNESCO in 1984 under President Ronald Reagan, citing mismanagement and anti-US bias. It rejoined in 2003 under President George W. Bush after reforms. Trump previously pulled the US out in 2017 on similar grounds, and Biden rejoined in 2021. The latest withdrawal comes as Trump reimplements a broader disengagement from global institutions. Since returning to the White House in 2025, Trump has already decided to quit the World Health Organization (WHO) and cut funding to the Palestinian relief agency UNRWA. 'This President will always put America First and ensure our country's membership in all international organizations aligns with our national interests,' Kelly added.
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Harvard seeks billions in funding restored at a pivotal hearing in its standoff with Trump
BOSTON (AP) — Lawyers for Harvard University argued in federal court Monday the Trump administration illegally cut $2.6 billion from the storied college — a pivotal moment in its battle against the federal government. If U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs decides in the university's favor, the ruling would reverse a series of funding freezes that later became outright cuts as the Trump administration escalated its fight with the nation's oldest and wealthiest university. Such a ruling, if it stands, would revive Harvard's sprawling scientific and medical research operation and hundreds of projects that lost federal money. A lawyer for Harvard, Steven Lehotsky, opened the hearing by saying the Trump administration violated the university's First Amendment rights. He said the government conditioned research grants on Harvard 'ceding control' to the government over what is appropriate for students and faculty to say. A second lawsuit over the cuts filed by the American Association of University Professors and its Harvard faculty chapter has been consolidated with the university's. Harvard's lawsuit accuses President Donald Trump's administration of waging a retaliation campaign against the university after it rejected a series of demands in an April 11 letter from a federal antisemitism task force. The letter demanded sweeping changes related to campus protests, academics and admissions. For example, the letter told Harvard to audit the viewpoints of students and faculty and admit more students or hire new professors if the campus was found to lack diverse points of view. The letter was meant to address government accusations that the university had become a hotbed of liberalism and tolerated anti-Jewish harassment on campus. Harvard President Alan Garber pledged to fight antisemitism but said no government 'should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.' The same day Harvard rejected the demands, Trump officials moved to freeze $2.2 billion in research grants. Education Secretary Linda McMahon declared in May that Harvard would no longer be eligible for new grants , and weeks later the administration began canceling contracts with Harvard. As Harvard fought the funding freeze in court, individual agencies began sending letters announcing that the frozen research grants were being terminated . They cited a clause that allows grants to be scrapped if they no longer align with government policies. Harvard, which has the nation's largest endowment at $53 billion, has moved to self-fund some of its research, but warned it can't absorb the full cost of the federal cuts. In court filings, the school said the government 'fails to explain how the termination of funding for research to treat cancer, support veterans, and improve national security addresses antisemitism.' The Trump administration denies the cuts were made in retaliation, saying the grants were under review even before the April demand letter was sent. It argues the government has wide discretion to cancel contracts for policy reasons. 'It is the policy of the United States under the Trump Administration not to fund institutions that fail to adequately address antisemitism in their programs,' it said in court documents. The research funding is only one front in Harvard's fight with the federal government. The Trump administration also has sought to prevent the school from hosting foreign students , and Trump has threatened to revoke Harvard's tax-exempt status . Finally, last month, the Trump administration formally issued a finding that the school tolerated antisemitism — a step that eventually could jeopardize all of Harvard's federal funding, including federal student loans or grants. The penalty is typically referred to as a 'death sentence.'
Chicago Tribune
2 days ago
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Harvard is hoping court rules Trump administration's $2.6B research cuts were illegal
BOSTON — Harvard University will appear in federal court Monday to make the case that the Trump administration illegally cut $2.6 billion from the storied college — a pivotal moment in its battle against the federal government. If U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs decides in the university's favor, the ruling would reverse a series of funding freezes that later became outright cuts as the Trump administration escalated its fight with the nation's oldest and wealthiest university. Such a ruling, if it stands, would revive Harvard's sprawling scientific and medical research operation and hundreds of projects that lost federal money. 'This case involves the Government's efforts to use the withholding of federal funding as leverage to gain control of academic decisionmaking at Harvard,' the university said in its complaint. 'All told, the tradeoff put to Harvard and other universities is clear: Allow the Government to micromanage your academic institution or jeopardize the institution's ability to pursue medical breakthroughs, scientific discoveries, and innovative solutions.' A second lawsuit over the cuts filed by the American Association of University Professors and its Harvard faculty chapter has been consolidated with the university's. Harvard's lawsuit accuses President Donald Trump's administration of waging a retaliation campaign against the university after it rejected a series of demands in an April 11 letter from a federal antisemitism task force. The letter demanded sweeping changes related to campus protests, academics and admissions. For example, the letter told Harvard to audit the viewpoints of students and faculty and admit more students or hire new professors if the campus was found to lack diverse points of view. The letter was meant to address government accusations that the university had become a hotbed of liberalism and tolerated anti-Jewish harassment on campus. Harvard President Alan Garber pledged to fight antisemitism but said no government 'should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.' The same day Harvard rejected the demands, Trump officials moved to freeze $2.2 billion in research grants. Education Secretary Linda McMahon declared in May that Harvard would no longer be eligible for new grants, and weeks later the administration began canceling contracts with Harvard. As Harvard fought the funding freeze in court, individual agencies began sending letters announcing that the frozen research grants were being terminated. They cited a clause that allows grants to be scrapped if they no longer align with government policies. Harvard, which has the nation's largest endowment at $53 billion, has moved to self-fund some of its research, but warned it can't absorb the full cost of the federal cuts. In court filings, the school said the government 'fails to explain how the termination of funding for research to treat cancer, support veterans, and improve national security addresses antisemitism.' The Trump administration denies the cuts were made in retaliation, saying the grants were under review even before the April demand letter was sent. It argues the government has wide discretion to cancel contracts for policy reasons. 'It is the policy of the United States under the Trump Administration not to fund institutions that fail to adequately address antisemitism in their programs,' it said in court documents. The research funding is only one front in Harvard's fight with the federal government. The Trump administration also has sought to prevent the school from hosting foreign students, and Trump has threatened to revoke Harvard's tax-exempt status. Finally, last month, the Trump administration formally issued a finding that the school tolerated antisemitism — a step that eventually could jeopardize all of Harvard's federal funding, including federal student loans or grants. The penalty is typically referred to as a 'death sentence.'
2 days ago
- Politics
Harvard is hoping court rules Trump administration's $2.6B research cuts were illegal
BOSTON -- BOSTON (AP) — Harvard University will appear in federal court Monday to make the case that the Trump administration illegally cut $2.6 billion from the storied college — a pivotal moment in its battle against the federal government. If U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs decides in the university's favor, the ruling would reverse a series of funding freezes that later became outright cuts as the Trump administration escalated its fight with the nation's oldest and wealthiest university. Such a ruling, if it stands, would revive Harvard's sprawling scientific and medical research operation and hundreds of projects that lost federal money. 'This case involves the Government's efforts to use the withholding of federal funding as leverage to gain control of academic decisionmaking at Harvard,' the university said in its complaint. 'All told, the tradeoff put to Harvard and other universities is clear: Allow the Government to micromanage your academic institution or jeopardize the institution's ability to pursue medical breakthroughs, scientific discoveries, and innovative solutions.' A second lawsuit over the cuts filed by the American Association of University Professors and its Harvard faculty chapter has been consolidated with the university's. Harvard's lawsuit accuses President Donald Trump's administration of waging a retaliation campaign against the university after it rejected a series of demands in an April 11 letter from a federal antisemitism task force. The letter demanded sweeping changes related to campus protests, academics and admissions. For example, the letter told Harvard to audit the viewpoints of students and faculty and admit more students or hire new professors if the campus was found to lack diverse points of view. The letter was meant to address government accusations that the university had become a hotbed of liberalism and tolerated anti-Jewish harassment on campus. Harvard President Alan Garber pledged to fight antisemitism but said no government 'should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.' The same day Harvard rejected the demands, Trump officials moved to freeze $2.2 billion in research grants. Education Secretary Linda McMahon declared in May that Harvard would no longer be eligible for new grants, and weeks later the administration began canceling contracts with Harvard. As Harvard fought the funding freeze in court, individual agencies began sending letters announcing that the frozen research grants were being terminated. They cited a clause that allows grants to be scrapped if they no longer align with government policies. Harvard, which has the nation's largest endowment at $53 billion, has moved to self-fund some of its research, but warned it can't absorb the full cost of the federal cuts. In court filings, the school said the government 'fails to explain how the termination of funding for research to treat cancer, support veterans, and improve national security addresses antisemitism.' The Trump administration denies the cuts were made in retaliation, saying the grants were under review even before the April demand letter was sent. It argues the government has wide discretion to cancel contracts for policy reasons. 'It is the policy of the United States under the Trump Administration not to fund institutions that fail to adequately address antisemitism in their programs,' it said in court documents. The research funding is only one front in Harvard's fight with the federal government. The Trump administration also has sought to prevent the school from hosting foreign students, and Trump has threatened to revoke Harvard's tax-exempt status. Finally, last month, the Trump administration formally issued a finding that the school tolerated antisemitism — a step that eventually could jeopardize all of Harvard's federal funding, including federal student loans or grants. The penalty is typically referred to as a 'death sentence.'
New York Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Harvard University back in court Monday to battle Trump admin's $2.6 billion funding cuts
Harvard University is set to argue in federal court Monday that the Trump administration illegally stripped it of $2.6 billion, as the wealthy Ivy League school's funding battle rages on. US District Judge Allison Burroughs is due to hear oral arguments from lawyers for both Harvard and the Justice Department after the nation's oldest and wealthiest university sued the Trump administration for slashing its flow of federal funds and grants. If the judge rules in Harvard's favor, the ruling would reverse the spate of funding freezes and cuts inflicted by the Trump administration after Harvard refused, in part, to implement reforms to combat antisemitism and address other concerns on campus. Advertisement 'This case involves the Government's efforts to use the withholding of federal funding as leverage to gain control of academic decisionmaking at Harvard,' the university said in its complaint. Harvard University announced Monday that it was suing the Trump administration to halt a freeze on more than $2.2 billion in grants. Getty Images 'All told, the tradeoff put to Harvard and other universities is clear: Allow the Government to micromanage your academic institution or jeopardize the institution's ability to pursue medical breakthroughs, scientific discoveries, and innovative solutions.' Advertisement Harvard's lawsuit accused the White House of waging a retaliation campaign against the Ivy League after it rejected a series of demands in an April 11 letter from a federal antisemitism task force. The letter demanded sweeping changes tied to campus protests, academics and admissions — as well as ending certain diversity and gender programs in favor of merit. The Trump administration, for its part, accused the prestigious school of becoming a hotbed of liberalism and tolerating anti-Jewish harassment on campus in the wake of the Oct.7, 2023 terror attacks. Harvard President Alan Garber vowed to fight antisemitism but said no government 'should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.' Advertisement The university ultimately rejected the demands, which resulted in Trump officials moving to freeze billions in research grants. Just weeks later, the administration then began canceling contracts with Harvard. The Trump administration has denied the cuts were retaliatory and that the grants were already under review even before the April demand letter was sent. Officials argued that the government has wide discretion to cancel contracts for policy reasons. Advertisement 'It is the policy of the United States under the Trump Administration not to fund institutions that fail to adequately address antisemitism in their programs,' the Trump administration said in court documents. With Post wires
