logo
episode-header-image
May 28
25m 40s

Ivy beleaguer: Harvard hung out to dry

The Economist
About this episode

The Trump administration’s determination to bend higher-education institutions to its will seems to know no bounds—and nowhere is getting it worse than Harvard University. The outcome of Poland’s presidential runoff matters far beyond its borders, now that it is a continental heavyweight (11:23). And a bid to elevate the humblest drink to a luxury beverage (19:25).


Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.

Up next
Yesterday
Duty regime: America’s consumers will foot the tariff bill
As yet another tranche of Donald Trump’s tariffs takes effect, we look at why the duties might outlast him—and how American consumers will ultimately shoulder the trade war’s costs. Our correspondent visits US Space Command, which is preparing for a new age of combat in the heave ... Show More
22m 37s
Aug 6
Unsteady state: Somalia in disarray
The country had been on the rise: beating back jihadists, strengthening its federal structure and gaining international stature. That has all reversed. In Britain levels of crime have fallen—but the changing nature of criminality has meant a smaller fraction of crooks getting cau ... Show More
24m 2s
Aug 5
Consultant management: McKinsey loses its shine
The world’s biggest strategy consultant has smaller rivals nipping at its heels. As it nears 100 years old, we ask how it will navigate a tricky AI-inflected future. It is already hard enough to fiddle with travel plans to get the cheapest flight. A new thing to consider? Whether ... Show More
21m 10s
Recommended Episodes
May 28
Ivy beleaguer: Harvard hung out to dry
The Trump administration’s determination to bend higher-education institutions to its will seems to know no bounds—and nowhere is getting it worse than Harvard University. The outcome of Poland’s presidential runoff matters far beyond its borders, now that it is a continental hea ... Show More
25m 40s
Aug 4
Degrees of freedom? Harvard’s shakedown dilemma
Donald Trump’s mission to bend higher education to his will maintains its sharpest focus on Harvard. Will the venerable university settle—and should it? Our correspondents meet with France’s top general, who believes Russia will threaten Europe sooner than many people think. And ... Show More
24m 44s
Dec 2024
Off-side: Georgians reject new president
This weekend, the ruling Georgian Dream party elected a new president – but only one name was on the ballot. That sparked further street protests, as our correspondent reports. Why a new US administration will find it hard to cut costs at NASA (12:19). And the enduring appeal of ... Show More
26m 43s
Mar 2025
Conversation peace: can Europe bargain with Russia?
European leaders met in London this weekend after Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky’s public row shattered hopes for a US-led truce in Ukraine. What did the summit achieve? Our correspondent visits Mexico’s border to find out if strengthened force will stem the flow of fentanyl ... Show More
24m 45s
Apr 2025
Harvard, deportations, American gas and basketball in Europe
Harvard is hit with a $2.3 billion funding freeze after rejecting demands from the Trump administration. El Salvador President Nayib Bukele says he has no plans to return a man mistakenly deported from the United States. Plus, Europe faces an energy security dilemma and an eager ... Show More
12m 28s
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
Jun 3
Trump vs Harvard: India Impact
The Trump-Harvard tussle over international students has aspirants and their parents in a bind. In this episode of The Morning Brief, host Prachi Verma explores the ripple effect of the clash and what it signals for the future of American higher education. With its federal certif ... Show More
20m 10s
Apr 2025
Import-extort: what to make of Donald Trump’s titanic tariffs
After months of bluster, he’s finally done it. At a ceremony in the White House Rose Garden, Donald Trump overturned decades of American trade policy with a simple signature. The new wave of trade restrictions, if implemented in full, will raise tariffs to the highest level in mo ... Show More
46m 35s
Sep 2024
Don wan: Harris keeps Trump tame
The vice-president turned in a confident if imperfect performance, leaving Donald Trump flustered. But will it change anything? A global shortfall of blood plasma is hampering the development of new medicines; we argue for some simple market forces that could plug the gap (11:40) ... Show More
23m 14s
Feb 2025
Ode to dread: Europe after Trump
This week European leaders have lined up to charm Donald Trump. But the broad smiles belie a bigger fear: what would it mean for the continent’s security if America forsakes its security guarantees? What the pull-out of French forces will mean for Africa (10:56). And the Maha Kum ... Show More
24m 2s