(Photograph through Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire) (Icon Sportswire by means of AP Pictures)

President Donald Trump raised eyebrows on Friday with a tweet absolutely insisting he’ll revoke Harvard University’s tax-exempt status, one thing he has threatened in latest weeks as his administration and the college have battled.

“We’re going to be putting off Harvard’s Tax Exempt Standing. It’s what they deserve!” Trump wrote on his Fact Social.

Many critics have been fast to indicate that Trump’s promise to use the IRS to hurt Harvard flies in the face of a few of his earlier comments about weaponizing the company. The Washington Put up’s Aaron Blake pointed out:

Trump in 2019: “I’ll never enable the IRS for use as a political weapon, as it has been and it is at present being used.”

Trump in 2025: Eliminating Harvard’s tax-exempt standing is “what they deserve!”

Another account posted the clip of Trump’s comments in 2019, which he made all through a speech to the Household Analysis Council – an evangelical non-profit team. Blake added that Trump made the comments in reference to a Democrat suggesting that spiritual groups engaged in political actions will have to lose their tax-exempt standing.

Trump in 2019: "I will by no means allow the IRS for use as a political weapon, because it has been and it’s at present being used."

Trump in 2025: Taking away Harvard's tax-exempt standing is "what they deserve!" https://t.co/Y2f5InYr0S

— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) May just 2, 2025

Left: Trump claiming he 'won’t ever enable the IRS for use as a political weapon'

Proper: Trump using the IRS as a political weapon %twitter.com/bFyeeKUCFr

— FactPost (@factpostnews) May just 2, 2025

Harvard sued the Trump administration in late April after billions in federally funded grants have been reduce following the university defying a couple of calls for from the administration. Harvard President Alan Garber mentioned when asserting the go well with, “No executive – regardless of which party is in energy – will have to dictate what personal universities can educate, whom they can admit and rent, and which areas of research and inquiry they may be able to pursue.

“The University will not give up its independence or its constitutional rights,” Garber introduced. Trump has on account that argued that Harvard must be stripped of its tax-exempt status for engaging in political task. “In all probability Harvard should lose its Tax Exempt Standing and be Taxed as a Political Entity if it retains pushing political, ideological, and terrorist inspired/helping “Sickness?” Remember, Tax Exempt Standing is totally contingent on acting in the PUBLIC INTEREST!” Trump wrote in mid-April.

Different critics have been fast to additionally call out Trump’s Friday publish as hypocritical, while some additionally argued that the move can be illegal:

That's blatantly illegal.

Every American who cares about free speech must in finding this revolting. Is this an influence we need to give presidents? https://t.co/OUAP0O14n6

— David French (@DavidAFrench) May just 2, 2025

Donald Trump is weaponizing the IRS against Harvard now, but who will he attempt to punish next?

Revoke the non-profit status of churches and hospitals? Snatch tax credits from families? Deny deductions for small businesses?

It's illegal and unsuitable. And it threatens everybody.

— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) May just 2, 2025

Left: JD Vance claiming that if the 'IRS can go after you on account of your beliefs, we'd now not are living in a free united states'

Proper: The Trump-Vance IRS coming after Harvard p.c.twitter.com/QCiKqrYR7I

— FactPost (@factpostnews) April 17, 2025

Trump: *says it was incorrect for the IRS to analyze non secular leaders and his supporters*

Q: “If that used to be wrong, why are you considering altering the tax standing of Harvard?”

Trump: “As a result of I believe Harvard is a shame…Tax-exempt status is a privilege…it’s been abused.” percenttwitter.com/hWZeOx4RhM

— The Bulwark (@BulwarkOnline) April 17, 2025

Trump’s directive to the IRS to revoke Harvard’s tax exempt nonprofit status is clearly illegal. It may’t be finished without official lead to and the courts will not allow it to happen. Nevertheless it goes in an instant to Trump’s attempt to crush dissent and his conflict in opposition to free speech and… https://t.co/muloOt0yV0

— Rep. Nadler (@RepJerryNadler) Could 2, 2025

President Trump's repeated targeting of @Harvard's tax-exempt status is blatantly unlawful underneath federal law.

The IRS can’t be weaponized to focus on political and ideological opponents — now not underneath Nixon, no longer under Obama, and not below Trump. https://t.co/RoeNyRoXZp percenttwitter.com/C4LSf7ZH4j

— Nico Perrino (@NicoPerrino) May 2, 2025

Let’s be clear: The IRS can not revoke @Harvard’s tax-exempt standing on account of President Trump’s ever-escalating, point of view-stimulated offensive towards the university.

Weaponizing the IRS and the tax code to assault the president’s ideological opponents is a deadly precedent… percenttwitter.com/oOB9Z6doAu

— FIRE (@TheFIREorg) May 2, 2025

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The put up Trump Referred to as Out Over Promise to End Harvard’s Tax-Exempt Standing After Vow to Never Use the IRS ‘As a Political Weapon’ first regarded on Mediaite.