Michael Barbaro

Thank you. You're welcome. You're welcome. All right, now my turn.

We are seeing an administration that is using all different types of powers that the federal government has to hit the pressure points of Harvard and to do it in a way that they certainly aren't doing to any other school or institution in the country. It has been a relentless attack in a way that certainly I didn't think an administration was capable of pulling off.

We are seeing an administration that is using all different types of powers that the federal government has to hit the pressure points of Harvard and to do it in a way that they certainly aren't doing to any other school or institution in the country. It has been a relentless attack in a way that certainly I didn't think an administration was capable of pulling off.

And as someone who has covered retribution and Trump's use of his power against institutions and individuals, I've found it pretty remarkable.

And as someone who has covered retribution and Trump's use of his power against institutions and individuals, I've found it pretty remarkable.

So it all may have happened because of an accident. Let me try and explain.

So it all may have happened because of an accident. Let me try and explain.

What happens is, is that after the Trump administration comes in, they start quietly in March having discussions with Harvard about ways that the administration would like Harvard to change how it operates, particularly around the issue of anti-Semitism.

What happens is, is that after the Trump administration comes in, they start quietly in March having discussions with Harvard about ways that the administration would like Harvard to change how it operates, particularly around the issue of anti-Semitism.

There has been a range of reporting about how Jewish students at Harvard were subject to harassment on campus by protesters in the aftermath of the October 7th attacks. And this was an issue that the far right and Trump supporters and Trump himself have talked about at length. So Harvard had been widely criticized for allowing anti-Semitism on campus.

There has been a range of reporting about how Jewish students at Harvard were subject to harassment on campus by protesters in the aftermath of the October 7th attacks. And this was an issue that the far right and Trump supporters and Trump himself have talked about at length. So Harvard had been widely criticized for allowing anti-Semitism on campus.

The Trump administration had taken a position that the far right had taken on Harvard for a proceeding with DEI policies and using and considering issues like race in a range of different matters on campus.

The Trump administration had taken a position that the far right had taken on Harvard for a proceeding with DEI policies and using and considering issues like race in a range of different matters on campus.

Perfectly said. So they're having this very constructive back and forth. Harvard doesn't like us to call them negotiations. They like to call them... Because they didn't want to be seen as sort of capitulating. So they're engaging this back and forth about what the administration would want Harvard to do. And...

Perfectly said. So they're having this very constructive back and forth. Harvard doesn't like us to call them negotiations. They like to call them... Because they didn't want to be seen as sort of capitulating. So they're engaging this back and forth about what the administration would want Harvard to do. And...

In the midst of this back and forth, Harvard's lawyers say to the administration, like, OK, we have some idea of what you want, but give us some specifics. Tell us what you actually want us to change.

In the midst of this back and forth, Harvard's lawyers say to the administration, like, OK, we have some idea of what you want, but give us some specifics. Tell us what you actually want us to change.

Yeah. So we can go back to the top officials at Harvard and say, look, here's what the administration wants. How can we make a deal to satisfy this? Yeah. Give us a letter that tells us exactly what you're looking for. And these lawyers for the administration say, OK, we'll send you that letter on Friday. So Harvard is waiting for this letter from the administration.

Yeah. So we can go back to the top officials at Harvard and say, look, here's what the administration wants. How can we make a deal to satisfy this? Yeah. Give us a letter that tells us exactly what you're looking for. And these lawyers for the administration say, OK, we'll send you that letter on Friday. So Harvard is waiting for this letter from the administration.

And that Friday comes and it goes and no letter comes. And then in the middle of the night, Harvard receives a letter from the administration.