Two things about this: 1) Trump can close Harvard forever—not legally, but SCOTUS will not stop him. Tut-tutting about how Harvard should not succumb to extortion does not change that fact. 2) The Dem leadership have chosen to endorse Trump's attacks by their silence. Harvard has to consider that.

wow

Harvard is giving the bully their lunch money. WTF?

When will ANYONE just say NO to Trump who is a blackmailer and litigation terrorist! Ya may want to see what would happen ? 🤦‍♀️

Oh FFS! There is an legal path to fight that fascist

So is this how it works? Push back and then cave in?

Anyone want to bet if trump doesn’t die before the next 3 1/2 years he will be a walking corpse. 💀

No!!! They need to fight him!

George! How is this legal? #shakedown

Stupid. Amoral. Why?

FFS. This is beyond ridiculous.

Tell me again where that money is going?

NOT ANOTHER PENNY TO HARVARD. EVER.

Caving to the Trump Administration is like paying a ransom to hackers. They’ll be back to extort more money again shortly with more demands. Better to go to war with the most accomplished graduates of Harvard Law School, hopefully on a pro bono basis.

STOP enabling him. It’s time to fight back.

Where does this money go? Does it fund anything?

why? WTF

Are they directly paying Trump, or are they trying to put the thinest veneer of legitimacy on this to try and say this isn't blatantly illegal?

SIGH

Ffs, take this extortion to court @harvard.edu your reputation is being permanently harmed

I thought Harvard was collectively brilliant enough to understand that extortionists are Never Satisfied. (unless some clever trap door game is afoot) ‘Fight Fiercely’ went away with Lehrer evidently.

WHY?? 😡😡

Can’t they just give trump a fake degree and accept his kid? Stroking his ego the way to go.

George, can you get your 100k back from these cowards who are betraying the very values you gave them 100k to support?

Bunch of COWARDS!

He just keeps winning.

Why doesn't countries and states pull his license and permits for his businesses??. No more tRump business

Damn you Harvard. WTH

Academia's collapse is strikingly similar to those of journalism and law. These are targeted attacks on the thought leaders in our society.

For some reason, the words "blackmail" or "bribe" are nowhere to be found in this piece by @nytimes.com www.nytimes.com/2025/07/28/u...

wat? Harvard too capitulated to that Dictator’s pockets $500M? 👀 👀

Why do universities feel the need to capitulate?

Why give in to him. Like every mob boss he’ll make them do it again later. He’ll always want more

I guess nobody has the stomach to fight Der Fuhrer

Unfuckingbelievable 🙈

SOURCE: www.nytimes.com/2025/07/28/u...

This is really quite appalling. I also wonder what the faculty has to say - Harvard's faculty has a lot more control over the university than at a lot of other places.

An undergrad teaching strike this fall would rattle a lot of wealthy folks who think they can support Trump for their personal gain and still send dear Johnny off for an elite education while he trashes the institution they send him to.

Harvard has the money to spare, but its reputation will be lost.

JFC

Disgusting, shameful.

So wrong. I’m thinking these institutions are nowhere near worth the tuition they require. If they can’t stand up to extortion, the people running these hallowed institutions are frauds themselves. As if the parade of legal clowns that continue to associate with the Trump Administration isn’t bad

enough, now the institution itself is unable to stand its ground against this fascist tyrant. An Ivy League education no longer holds the prominence it once did. Such a shame.

Why is Harvard willing to be extorted by this dictator?

What a terrible precedent this would set. What happened to Harvard’s values. Guess this shows why Trump was elected-everyone and everything is for sale if the price is right🔥

I don’t understand why? Why are universities paying Trump?

Shame on you !!!

So sad, but the likely outcome is Harvard wins in the lower courts then its a toss up in front of SCOTUS. If they lose there, its potentially a $3B loss, along w a loss of possibly life saving research they won't be able to conduct. I think they're thinking of the greater good & Trump doesn't care.

If ALL of these colleges and Media Outlets Fought back this shit would not be happening, TACO would pretend it never happened but CBS, ABC Paramount, Harvard, Columbia, all sucking his Tiny Mushroom in Public

Life in New AmeriKKKa.

Harvard chicken shits.

🤦🏼‍♀️

They pay $500M to get what $600M? What is the deal? Why would Harvard cave?It was our last hope for non-capitulation! The last.Now everyone will cave.All media, universities,law firms, wtf? We are now lead by a fascist.Completely. Is there no fight left in these lge institutions? They're leaving us.

Right now students from other countries don't want to come here.Now if Harvard caves,even MORE won't come here for an education.It's not an open free education anymore.PLUS, will they be deported if a VISA is taken or not given?No one wants to come here. America is alone between tariffs & education.

AND WHERE DOES THAT $500 MILLION DOLLARS GO EXACTLY???????

Is that money reducing our debt? NOT

NO

Proof America is doomed. One by one the cowardly academic institutions and media corps submit to acquiescence. That whole ‘land of the free and home of the brave’ is beyond cooked…

Dems position should be that any organization unethical enough to pay a bribe to Donald Trump should expect to be penalized when Dems take back control.

Thank you.

Why is everyone caving to this corruption. Do Americans love their money more than their principles?

Sadly, yes.

Raiding our educational institutions should be ILLEGAL period!

Don't do it, Harvard!!!! You are on the right side of history, for once, at this moment!

Good Lord, are they ALL on the Epstein list? I mean, what other kind of offer is Trump making that these spineless fucks can't refuse?

Who is this money going to, exactly? Straight to Trump?

This is exactly why it never ends! They keep caving in to his extortion. I understand that they don’t want to lose research funding, but instead of paying the vig, spend that money taking him to court. If Harvard, with its resources, won’t fight back how do smaller institutions stand a chance?

WTF 🤬

So paying $500M in extortion money and destroying your reputation is cheaper than defending a lawsuit?

First off, NYT reporting, did they actually get this story from people at Harvard? If so, did they actually talk with the important people who make the important decisions at Harvard? Simply getting a story from the janitor doesn't count. lol Second, sounds like NYT desperate for a story.

Why are these schools giving in to this tyrant!!! Harvard trains lawyers! Sue his fucking ass!!!

Everyone who has donated money over the years should have an opportunity to receive a refund first. I’d be livid if I was a yearly donator and it’s going into Trumps back pocket. Total extortion on a level unseen in this country before. These big universities have no backbone. At least fight this👎👎

By the time the fkr is done exporting he will make 10s of billions.

Someone tell WHY Harvard is caving and who gets the money? Trump?

Supposedly all this money he's getting from everyone is going to his "presidential library". What I want to know is who is in charge of overseeing the funds.

And why does he get to keep it! That’s plain ass extortion. I don’t get why they aren’t fighting him!

Agreed

Extortion by use of our government’s power. It’s insidious because you and I built these public assets, eg he’s barring access to databases, libraries, boards, commissions, titles, etc if you’re from Harvard. Among other things.

So is the “donated” Air Force One 🙄

At a cost to US taxpayers of $1B! I say we politely but firmly give it back and let Trump have his temper tantrum like the emotional toddler he is.

Go ahead and lick those boots Haaaavard!

NO! Harvard, do not capitulate.

bsky.app/profile/patr...

Another school bending a knee and paying bribes...sad days

No! Omg

Why are they giving in? Keep fighting!

Just say NO!

Looks to me like someone on the Board of Directors at Harvard is on the Epstein list. People think they are bowing. No they aren’t. He’s blackmailing them.

What? Harvard said they wouldn't cave. What changed?

....

Why are they giving in?

They never learn. I’m beginning to think they deserve to be shut down.

Extortion

Tax free extortion. The best kind!

I hate it here

My god what are we doing here? We are just giving up? Just like that? When he’s the weakest he’s ever been?

Imagine it now being normalized for a university to have to pay a black mail fee to the sitting POTUS? Right out in the open!

So what are the new classes gonna be at Harvard? Corruption 101 Advanced embezzlement No fault bribery How to rape a 13-year-old without consequence Just disgusting

Who wants their kid going to any of these big universities? What used to be a real feather in their cap, has turned into nothing but an embarrassment. What student is excited about going anymore? Save your money, go to trade school and get a high hourly wage job.

Can you spell E*X*T*O*R*T*I*O*N ?

America is so weak…. Unbeliveable

Why exactly are they paying money according to the government? Is it a fine or settlement? And for what? What is the government’s justification? I’m interested in the “official” explanation.

Why does Harvard need a monitor? So the administration can run the school by proxy? NO! Stop with everybody giving in to the BULLY.

All this money is going into Trump’s bank account and not one penny is going for this country. Fuck Trump and this administration. There better be many lawsuits filed after this administration is finished. Confiscate Trump’s estate and give that money to the American people.

No. Just no

amazing how money rules over morals . pathetic values

Nauseating, on display extortion.

Where will the money go to the Trump family pockets.

Why is this happening? How is he winning on this? Fuck everyone who’s going along with this!

Seems like they have bigger balls 🤔 No one is stopping them. They are keeping everyone so distracted that we're running in circles. We're so disorganized. But, it's very difficult to get everyone on the same page. What do we do and how do we start? 🤔

A great many rich and powerful people have raped children.

Exactly. Alan Dershowitz is one among probably many. A massage with his underwear on? I wonder how his wife reacted to that.

Obeying in advance is the first step. Timothy Synder, "On Trianny"

WHY ARE PEOPLE CAPITULATING TO THE MAD ORANGE king wannabe #PROJECTSTOPITRIGHTNOW

Who is gonna have some balls and fight? When Trump eventually kicks it, do they think we're all just going to forget what they did? Complicity in Fascism will be great marketing materials on the brochure

How about no.

How about Fuck Off Creep!!!

Omg why?????

You americans sure take a lot with no push back. Yes,I mean violence because that's your only hope

omg, please, NO!! don't let the goddamn bully get away with it!!!

Fuck you Harvard.

What fucking legal basis?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5m9O...

WTF?!

"Harvard is reluctant to directly pay the federal government, but negotiators are still discussing the exact financial terms." Basically they're pulling a Trump. Claiming a win before there is one.

Disgraceful. Shameful. What is happening?

Where does all this $$ go??

Extortion

Sad! Resist

Pathetic. Cowards all.

Jesus H. Christmas, is Garber fucking kids too!?!

Making ANY deal with this administration is caving.

THEY BETTER NOT CAVE.

Nnnnnooooooo

Until Trump I had never even heard of a President shaking down a university.

Stop this! Stand up! Fight back!

Cowards!

Not to worry. They can purchase palantir to help them monitor. 🤬

Mobster POTUS running the lamest protection racket imaginable.

What Harvard fund is it coming from? And why would they have that much $$ sitting around?

More people, especially Democratic leaders, need to make clear to universities and law firms that surrendering without a fight is unacceptable and will face consequences if Democrats ever get back in power Soldiers are held to account, so should universities and law firms Make them pariahs

No one in their right minds would go to Columbia until the stain wears off. Think about that Harvard.

A god damn shakedown. And they're acquiescing. JFC

UGH UGH UGH UGH

Damn.

JFC!

This is backwards. Is this more of that fake anti-semitism crap?

The choices to fight, or to not fight and lose. Harvard has already lost. The money almost doesn’t matter.

Why pay an extortionist?

Noooooo!

Alumni who donate to Harvard, Columbia, and any other university or college that caves to Trump's extortion should forego all future donations...and maybe ask for a refund of earlier donations. Imagine donating to your liberal education alma mater and knowing now your money went to Trump's cabal.

Giving in to Donald Trump's demands means he will demand more.

Will the monitor be Bari Weiss?

This speaks also to the volume of money these universities are making…

Another bullshit New York Times story. I’ll believe it when I see it in the crimson.

They would be better off begging alumni for money.

NO!! Not Harvard too.. 🤦🏻‍♀️

I wonder what he had on them? Release the Epstein files.

The, once, most prestigious of Universities crumbling to a pedophile. Oh how far we’ve fallen!

😢

Losers

Cowards!

Is this for not being pro war enough?

The proplem with these universities is that they are elite. Remaining close to power is more important than anything to them. The idea that they are bastions of leftism is laughable

The bribery continues...

Why? Why, why, why?

Cowards!

Hold off and he'll lower the price. Meanwhile, why is ice not going to his resorts

Jesus christ... say it ain't so.

Say it isn't so!!

We’re a nation of cowards.

Cowards. Grotesque.

Who is this money going to? What is this payment for? Is it going in the Dotard’s pocket? This is insane.

Money well spent, donors Funding the red hat king

No way should Harvard cave into him. Columbia shouldn’t have either!!!

I want to know where this money goes when it’s paid “to the government”

Wow! Just wow.

That’s their freaking problem with it?

Unbelievable! We are losing more and more every day!

WHY

Of course…because if we’ve learned anything about Donald Trump, it’s that he will definitely stop humiliating, extorting, denigrating you if you just pay him enough money.

This is entirely and corruptly insane!

Can you imagine making an alumni donation knowing that it is going directly to Trump? Why anyone related to Harvard would cheer this on is beyond me.

Never in a million years

Columbia and Harvard are OUT OF THEIR MIND. Stand up to the Bully. He is on his way out but his fascist regime needs to know they are NOT HERE FOR LONG. PRESSURE HARVARD to stand strong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Danegeld University Conference (DUCon) forming before our eyes. CBS Sports will cover the games. #DanegeldUCon

Don't do it, Harvard!

Barf

Honestly I feel like trump is running a protection racket "I'm going to create a problem and you're going to fork over hundreds of millions of dollars for me to "solve" it" Same with tariffs

WTAF is wrong with these universities? My daughter has an option to transfer to Columbia to finish her degree and I have told her I won't pay for it if she does. People need to boycott these institutions.

Fuck all of them for bowing down.

Half a BILLION dollars? Idk if it’s more disgusting that they have that much cash at hand to fork over, or that they’re forking it over to appease Trump

Stumbling blocks to a $500m bribe includes that Harvard would like to remain open to further extortion.

Why are these entities so hell bent on bending the knee to this egomaniacal extortionist?

So they are paying to be censored by the White House. Hundreds of millions. WTF does he have on these guys? Since when is governing by extortion legal?

It isn't but neither are most of Trump's actions since becoming President and largely he's getting away with it.

As Jon Stewart said: “sack the fuck up”

Why is everyone kissing this man’s ass?

Imaginary Dem: “Every illegal act will be punished. Every extortion racket will be seized.’ Real Dem: …uh…

I’d expect more bravery from a community college.

Oh, for fuck's sake. When are these chickenshits going to stand up to Trump? The rest of us are in the streets!

Ridiculous for them to bow to Trump.

What?? I am so unbelievably angry with Harvard. The most privileged institution, a multi billion dollar institution with a mandate for the truth. If this is true then frankly, American claims to intellectual innovation and research, and concerns about protecting equality, are meaningless.

Okay, how many PEDO FUCK NAZIS are running Harvard?

Harvard alumni must be very excited to see their donations going to support the fascist regime.

This really make me sad.

Fuck Trump. Pay nothing Harvard, don’t give in to the shakedown