Trump’s Confrontation with Harvard Reflects a Broader Attack on American Higher Education

Gregory Conti, a political scientist affiliated with Princeton, is known for his conservative views. He serves as a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and holds the position of editor-at-large for Compact, a right-leaning, unconventional online publication.

Conti asserts that Harvard University closely aligns itself with the Democratic Party. He has expressed this perspective in his writings for Compact, highlighting the university’s political affiliations.

Despite his conservative background, Conti criticizes the Trump administration’s approach toward higher education—particularly its targeting of Harvard—as a violation of due process. He warns that these actions could undermine the United States’ status as a global leader in academic excellence.

In a recent essay, Conti described the administration’s strategy as a relentless campaign to inflict damage on Harvard until the institution is forced into a compromising agreement. He characterized this tactic as a harmful and shortsighted assault.

Conti further cautioned that such a confrontational approach risks ending America’s dominance in science and scholarship—a loss that would be detrimental not only to academics but to the nation as a whole.

In correspondence, Conti labeled the revocation of Harvard’s certification to participate in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program as an arbitrary and illiberal move, bordering on nihilism.

When asked if the administration aims to financially cripple Harvard and other Ivy League institutions as a display of conservative strength, Conti’s views highlighted the potential for political motivations underlying these measures.