Leavitt on Harvard: 'More Than $2 Billion Out the Door' to a School With 'a More Than $50 Billion Endowment' (April 15, 2025)

The Trump administration froze about $2 billion for Harvard, and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt asked why taxpayers were paying at all. “I think the President is also begging a good question, more than $2 billion out the door to Harvard when they have a more than $50 billion endowment, why are the American taxpayers subsidizing a university that has billions of dollars in the bank already?” Leavitt said at the White House on April 15, 2025, according to the transcript published by the American Presidency Project [1].

“And we certainly should not be funding a place where such grave antisemitism exists,” she said [1].

The video above shows Leavitt’s briefing on April 15, 2025. Quotes are from the American Presidency Project [1][2][3].

”Grounded in Common Sense”

The first question came from the new media seat, where Matthew Foldy of The Washington Reporter noted the freeze [1].

“When it comes to Harvard, the President’s position on this is grounded in common sense, in the basic principle that Jewish-American students, or students of any faith, should not be illegally harassed and targeted on our nation’s college campuses,” Leavitt said [1].

She pointed to former Harvard President Claudine Gay’s testimony, calling it “the stunning confession by then Harvard President Claudine Gay, who said that bullying and harassment depended on the context.” [1]

“Unfortunately, Harvard has not taken the Administration’s demands seriously. All the President is asking, don’t break federal law and then you can have your federal funding,” she said [1].

”Harvard Should Apologize”

“The President believes Harvard should apologize to its Jewish American students for allowing such egregious behavior,” Leavitt said [1].

“You also had an encampment on Harvard Yard that we all saw play out before the cameras. The university failed to impose formal discipline on any students for this antisemitic conduct violations, including the occupation of a campus building and the disruption of classes with bullhorns,” she said [1].

That morning, Trump had posted: “Perhaps Harvard should lose its Tax Exempt Status and be Taxed as a Political Entity if it keeps pushing political, ideological, and terrorist inspired/supporting ‘Sickness?’” [2]

Asked about it, Leavitt said: “As for the tax-exempt status, I would defer you to the IRS for any updates.” [1]

“Why Their Tax Dollars Are Going to These Universities”

Another reporter asked why Ivy League schools get so much federal funding. “It’s a very good question and it’s a question the President has obviously raised in his discussions and negotiations with not just Harvard, but also Columbia and many other Ivy League Institutions,” Leavitt said [1].

“And I think a lot of Americans are wondering why their tax dollars are going to these universities when they are not only indoctrinating our nation’s students, but also allowing such egregious, illegal behavior to occur,” she said [1].

”A Candidate for Father of the Year”

Leavitt said the outcry over the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, whom she called “an MS-13 El Salvadorian illegal alien criminal who was hiding in Maryland,” had been “nothing short of despicable.” [1]

“Based on the sensationalism of many of the people in this room, you would think we deported a candidate for father of the year,” she said [1].

She set that against the murder of Rachel Morin, a Maryland mother of five, whose killer, an illegal alien, a jury had found guilty the day before [1].

Asked about Sen. Chris Van Hollen’s plan to fly to El Salvador to press for Abrego Garcia’s release, Leavitt said: “It’s mind-boggling the priorities of the modern-day Democrat party.” [1]

“This Is the Trump Effect”

Leavitt pointed to Nvidia. “For the first time ever, chipmaking giant NVIDIA will produce AI supercomputers entirely in the United States,” she said. “This is the Trump effect.” [1]

“Under President Trump, we’re going to produce the cars, the ships, the chips, the airplanes, minerals, and medicines that we need right here in America, at the hands of American workers,” Leavitt said [1].

”Lower Than the First Two Days”

“According to CBP, Border Patrol apprehensions along the southwest border for the entire month of March 2025 were lower than the first two days of March 2024, under Joe Biden,” Leavitt said [1].

She described the new military zone on the border. “This new national defense area spans more than 170 miles across our border in New Mexico. But in the coming weeks, this administration will add more than 90 miles in the state of Texas,” she said [1].

”He Has Delivered on That Promise”

Leavitt opened with Holy Week. “The President promised millions of Christians across the country on the campaign trail that he would create a White House Faith Office when he returned to the White House, and he has delivered on that promise,” she said [1].

By the Numbers

More than $2 billion: federal money for Harvard, per Leavitt [1].
More than $50 billion: Harvard’s endowment, per Leavitt [1].
More than 170 miles: the national defense area in New Mexico, per Leavitt [1].
More than 90 miles: to be added in Texas, per Leavitt [1].

What Happened Next

Trump turned up the heat. Early the next morning, April 16, 2025, he posted: “Harvard can no longer be considered even a decent place of learning, and should not be considered on any list of the World’s Great Universities or Colleges. Harvard is a JOKE, teaches Hate and Stupidity, and should no longer receive Federal Funds.” [3]

For Trump and El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele on Abrego Garcia the day before, see HYGO News’ page on April 14, 2025. For the first day of the new media seat, see the page on Leavitt’s first briefing, Jan. 28, 2025. For Rachel Morin’s mother at the same podium the next day, see the page on April 16, 2025.