Former President Donald Trump has renewed his threat to strip Harvard University of its tax-exempt status, intensifying his ongoing battle with the prestigious school over campus policies and leadership decisions.

From Palm Beach, Florida, where he is spending the weekend, Trump posted Friday morning on his social media platform:

“We are going to be taking away Harvard’s Tax Exempt Status. It’s what they deserve!”

This is not the first time Trump has questioned Harvard’s tax-free privileges, a status shared by most U.S. universities. His concerns were reignited when Harvard refused to meet federal demands related to changes in leadership, diversity policies, and its admissions process. In response, the administration froze over $2 billion in federal funding to the university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The Treasury Department has since instructed the IRS to begin evaluating Harvard’s nonprofit status. This move followed Trump’s April post questioning the school’s special tax treatment. While the White House insists the IRS operates independently and that investigations are not directly influenced by the president, Trump’s remarks have clearly fueled action.

Key Developments:

• Trump targets Harvard’s tax-free status
• Over $2 billion in federal grants blocked
• IRS starts review of university finances
• Push to stop Harvard from enrolling international students

This clash is part of the administration’s larger effort to fight antisemitism on college campuses, but Trump’s team also views the conflict as a political advantage. It reinforces his image as standing up to what he calls “elite institutions” — a message that resonates with many of his supporters.

While speaking at a University of Alabama graduation ceremony on Thursday night, Trump declared:

“The next chapter of the American story will not be written by The Harvard Crimson. It will be written by you, the Crimson Tide.”

Here, Trump compared Harvard’s student newspaper, The Harvard Crimson, with the University of Alabama’s famed football team, the Crimson Tide, appealing to working-class and conservative Americans.

Alongside revoking tax benefits and halting federal funding, the Trump administration is also pushing to block Harvard from accepting international students, a major blow to the institution’s global reputation and revenue.