logo
episode-header-image
Apr 18
27m 57s

America’s universities stand up to Trump

The Guardian
About this episode
This week, Harvard University, the oldest and wealthiest in the US, defied Donald Trump a list of demands. The Trump administration responded by freezing $2.2bn in federal funding for the Ivy League school. This week, Jonathan Freedland speaks to the Harvard professor Ryan Enos to consider why the university is pushing back, how far this fight may go and why ... Show More
Up next
Jul 3
The winners and losers of Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’
Jonathan Freedland is joined by Eleanor Mueller of Semafor to look at the potential fallout from Donald Trump’s tax and spending bill – financially and politically 
30m 53s
Jun 27
A socialist underdog makes history in New York
How did a political nobody, Zohran Mamdani, beat one of New York’s best-known establishment figures, Andrew Cuomo? Rachel Leingang speaks to Moira Donegan about how Democratic party leaders view the historic New York City mayoral primary result. Does the party need to fundamental ... Show More
29m 8s
Jun 19
Trump’s plan for Iran divides Republicans
What is Donald Trump’s plan for Iran? Is he about to break his campaign pledge for ‘no more wars’? And if he does, could this be the moment he loses some of his most loyal Maga supporters? The Guardian’s Rachel Leingang and Andrew Roth discuss 
28m 34s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 23
Inside the Harvard vs. Trump Battle
President Donald Trump has been on an escalating campaign to reorder elite higher education. The administration’s Anti-Semitism Task Force has frozen billions of dollars in federal funding after Harvard refused to comply with their demands. WSJ’s Douglas Belkin on the showdown be ... Show More
18m 45s
Apr 9
The University President Willing to Fight Trump
This week, we interviewed two people with leading roles in the rapidly escalating conflict between the Trump administration and American higher education. Today, we speak with the president of Princeton University, Christopher L. Eisgruber, about the institution’s path forward in ... Show More
38m 49s
Mar 2025
Trump's College Crackdown
Columbia University gave in to President Trump’s demands after he revoked roughly $400 million in federal funding. WSJ’s Douglas Belkin explains how the university made its decision, and the impact that may have on campuses across the country. Further Reading:  - Universities Spr ... Show More
18m 14s
May 28
Why does Trump want to tear down Harvard?
Not content with demanding government oversight of Harvard's teaching and appointments, Donald Trump has directed his government to cease all federal funding of America's most prestigious university. And in a wider blow to academia, US embassies around the world have been ordered ... Show More
39m 31s
Apr 20
Trump Moves Could Force Universities to Recalculate Their Bottom Lines
The Trump administration has already pulled grant money from Harvard and is threatening to do so at other institutions too. Meanwhile,the administration is pulling hundreds of student visas and moving to deport some. WSJ’s Doug Belkin explains how losing federal grant money could ... Show More
17m 17s
May 29
Harvard Is Trying to Resist Trump. It Might Not Be Working.
For Harvard students, this year’s graduation ceremony comes amid an intense standoff between one of America’s most prestigious universities and the United States government.Michael S. Schmidt, an investigative reporter for The Times, explains how the conflict escalated and what i ... Show More
28m 52s
May 10
Swamp Notes: Trump takes on higher ed
Description: US President Donald Trump is in an ongoing standoff with America’s top universities. Harvard lost $2.3bn in federal funding after it refused to comply with the administration’s demands on admissions and diversity, equity and inclusion. Columbia complied with a simila ... Show More
20m 35s
Apr 15
Trump vs. Harvard
First, we explore the standoff between the White House and America's wealthiest university. Billions of dollars are on the line, but Harvard says it's not budging. Plus, the Trump Administration says it does not have the power to bring back a man deported by accident. So what hap ... Show More
48m 12s
May 23
Trump vs. Harvard
The Trump Administration escalates its war against Harvard, barring the school from enrolling international students. Will other universities be next? Plus, we have new details on the man charged with gunning down two Israeli embassy staffers. And rapper Kid Cudi takes the stand ... Show More
47m 35s
Apr 14
'If You Can Keep It': Higher Education Funding
The Trump administration is threatening to pull billions of dollars in funding from top universities across the country. Last week, it froze $1 billion meant for Cornell University and $750 million meant for Northwestern University. The two schools are currently being investigate ... Show More
34m 20s