Doug Belkin

There's about 10 universities that are part of the collective right now. They're mostly private, wealthy, blue state universities that have been approached by the Trump administration or are fearful that they are next. They see themselves as the locus of resistance, and they do believe that the number will grow.

There's about 10 universities that are part of the collective right now. They're mostly private, wealthy, blue state universities that have been approached by the Trump administration or are fearful that they are next. They see themselves as the locus of resistance, and they do believe that the number will grow.

The Trump administration is asking a lot of several universities right now, and they're threatening to, and in some cases they have moved, to freeze or cancel research funding and grants. So universities are in a really tight spot. Things that the Trump administration is asking for start with asking the schools to prevent anti-Semitism, to make sure that harassment of Jewish students ends.

The Trump administration is asking a lot of several universities right now, and they're threatening to, and in some cases they have moved, to freeze or cancel research funding and grants. So universities are in a really tight spot. Things that the Trump administration is asking for start with asking the schools to prevent anti-Semitism, to make sure that harassment of Jewish students ends.

But it goes a little bit beyond that. The administration is asking for oversight of things like admissions and faculty hiring and to some extent curriculum and teaching and research. And that would end the independence of the universities. And that's where they are not willing to go right now.

But it goes a little bit beyond that. The administration is asking for oversight of things like admissions and faculty hiring and to some extent curriculum and teaching and research. And that would end the independence of the universities. And that's where they are not willing to go right now.

Right. The law firms were picked off one by one, and the universities are trying to avoid that negotiating error by banding together and trying to draw a line that they can all hold to make it more difficult for the administration to essentially impact any one of them individually.

Right. The law firms were picked off one by one, and the universities are trying to avoid that negotiating error by banding together and trying to draw a line that they can all hold to make it more difficult for the administration to essentially impact any one of them individually.

That's the $64,000 question right now. When Harvard was given a list of demands by the task force, they went public with that list. And in that list, they said that they would not meet a number of the demands. Harvard has said that they've sued on the grounds that their First Amendment rights and their due process rights have been abused.

That's the $64,000 question right now. When Harvard was given a list of demands by the task force, they went public with that list. And in that list, they said that they would not meet a number of the demands. Harvard has said that they've sued on the grounds that their First Amendment rights and their due process rights have been abused.

And so they're hoping that the judge will stop the Trump administration. The issue that's at play here, though, is that the administration has a lot of different levers. They could potentially stop international students from enrolling. They're going after their tax-exempt status. It's not clear legally where they'll win and where the Trump administration will win.

And so they're hoping that the judge will stop the Trump administration. The issue that's at play here, though, is that the administration has a lot of different levers. They could potentially stop international students from enrolling. They're going after their tax-exempt status. It's not clear legally where they'll win and where the Trump administration will win.

And beyond that, there's future research funding that the Trump administration could make harder for for Harvard to get or the universities to get. And so it's not clear how this will play out.

And beyond that, there's future research funding that the Trump administration could make harder for for Harvard to get or the universities to get. And so it's not clear how this will play out.

Thanks very much.

Thanks very much.

Hey, What's News listeners. It's Sunday, April 20th. I'm Alex Osola for The Wall Street Journal. This is What's News Sunday, the show where we tackle the big questions about the biggest stories in the news by reaching out to our colleagues across the newsroom to help explain what's happening in our world.

Hey, What's News listeners. It's Sunday, April 20th. I'm Alex Osola for The Wall Street Journal. This is What's News Sunday, the show where we tackle the big questions about the biggest stories in the news by reaching out to our colleagues across the newsroom to help explain what's happening in our world.

On today's show, the Trump administration is threatening to pull grant funding from institutions like Columbia and has already done so for Harvard. And it's also taking aim at individual students, pulling hundreds of student visas and even moving to deport some. What's the impact on universities' bottom lines, their reputation and their culture? At the end of the day, universities are businesses.

On today's show, the Trump administration is threatening to pull grant funding from institutions like Columbia and has already done so for Harvard. And it's also taking aim at individual students, pulling hundreds of student visas and even moving to deport some. What's the impact on universities' bottom lines, their reputation and their culture? At the end of the day, universities are businesses.