NYT: Trump's Demands to Harvard Were a Mistake

The Trump administration's demands to Harvard, which sought changes to student club policies and a federal audit of viewpoint diversity, were reportedly sent by mistake. Harvard firmly rejected these demands, upholding its independence and constitutional rights, which led to threats against its tax-exempt status. The White House later confirmed the letter should not have been dispatched, yet maintained the administration's stance. Harvard criticized the demands as overreaching and emphasized the authenticity of the correspondence sent by federal officials on official letterhead.

The Trump administration's demands to Harvard that sparked the university's resounding rejection last week were sent by mistake, The New York Times reported.

Harvard officials balked at the demands and declared April 14 that the university 'will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights.'

White House officials told the Times on Friday that the letter shouldn't have been sent and that Harvard's lawyers should've called someone from the task force to ask about it.

Harvard officials responded in a statement that the letter 'was signed by three federal officials, placed on official letterhead, was sent from the email inbox of a senior federal official.'

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