The Trump administration’s freezing of billions in funding alongside a ban on international students and threats to Harvard’s tax-exempt status have sparked explosive conspiracy theories on social media. According to viral rumors, Trump’s attack on Harvard stems from personal reasons because Barron Trump supposedly did not gain admission to the Ivy League school. However, there’s no evidence to support claims that Barron Trump was rejected by Harvard since he selected NYU’s Stern School instead.
Because it’s Donald Trump, this angle is more likely to be true than just a “conspiracy theory.”
If not Baron, perhaps another Trump family member – or friend – was recently denied by Harvard? That stated, and in defense of those who criticize this theory, the MAGA (Make America Great Again) movement, closely associated with Donald Trump and his political base, has developed a pronounced antagonism toward Ivy League institutions in recent years. Although Trump and Vice President Vance attended Ivy League institutions, those schools are widely seen by MAGA supporters as elite institutions disconnected from the values of everyday Americans, often labeled as bastions of liberal or “woke” ideology.
Second, an overwhelming majority of Ivy League faculty identify as liberal, with only a tiny fraction identifying as conservative, reinforcing the perception among conservatives that these schools lack ideological diversity.
Regardless of whether Trump’s endeavors are personal or political, Harvard is fighting back against the Trump administration through a lawsuit and reaffirms its commitment to maintaining its autonomy.
This is part of what makes Trump a compromised leader and why this conspiracy even exists. He thinks he’s above everyone else and tries to penalize others when forced to play by the rules.