Trump’s anger toward Harvard highlights dysfunction amid coronavirus response – By Aarthi Swaminathan (Yahoo Finance) / April 22 2020
This post has been updated to reflect Harvard’s decision to not accept any money from the CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund.
Harvard was set to receive nearly $9 million from the federal government through a higher education relief plan amid the coronavirus pandemic, and President Donald Trump was angry about it.
But the allocation was actually determined by Congress — and the school denied even receiving any stimulus money.
“Harvard should give back the money now,” the president said in a tweet on Tuesday. “Their whole ‘endowment’ system should be looked at!”
At Tuesday’s White House press conference, Trump demanded Harvard pay back any coronavirus stimulus package, and again mentioned the school’s $41 billion endowment.
“I actually spoke to the president of Harvard already this morning,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Fox Business on Wednesday, later adding: “I think Harvard thinking seriously about whether it’s appropriate for them to keep the money or give it to other institutions that need it.”
President Donald Trump listens to a reporter’s question during a briefing at the White House in Washington, U.S., April 21, 2020. (Photo: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo)
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