Trump has once again suggested that Harvard University is teaching its students “remedial math” including that “2+2 = 4” in his latest attack on the world-renowned institution.
The president suggested that the recent escalation of his beef with the school had been because “they want to show how smart they are," but claimed that it was “getting their a** kicked.”
The comment is in reference to the school’s new introductory math course designed to “rectify a lack of foundational algebra skills among students.” Trump has previously used the scheme to question the intelligence of the student body.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday, the president doubled down on the comments: “Harvard has to behave themselves, Harvard is treating our country with great disrespect,” he said. “And all they’re doing is getting in deeper and deeper and deeper.”
“I’m looking out for the country, and for Harvard! I want Harvard to do well. I want Harvard to be great again… probably. How can it be great? When you have Harvard announce two weeks ago that they’re going to teach remedial mathematics.”
“They’re going to teach low-grade mathematics, like 2+2 is 4. How did these people get into Harvard if they can’t do basic mathematics? How did they do it?”
“They’re bragging about teaching them basic mathematics, where did these people come from? So we have to look at the list.”
The order was an escalation in Trump’s battle with Harvard, where he has pulled $3 billion in funding, ordered multiple investigations and threatened to take away the school’s tax exempt status.
Trump has been clashing with Harvard for several months now, after the university’s refused to eliminate its diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and expel pro-Palestinian protestors.
Retaliations have included pulling $3 billion of funding, as well as threatening to remove its tax exempt status. The Trump administration also recently moved to block foreign students from enrolment there, with Harvard announcing it would be suing the White House in response.
“With the stroke of a pen, the government has sought to erase a quarter of Harvard’s student body, international students who contribute significantly to the University and its mission,” the lawsuit read. “Without its international students, Harvard is not Harvard.”
Despite the ongoing battles, Trump claimed on Wednesday that he wished the institution no harm. “Harvard has to understand, the last thing I want to do is hurt them. They’re hurting themselves, they’re fighting,” he said.
The president then claimed that Columbia University, in New York, which has been the site of multiple student protests over the Gaza-Israel war, had been “very antisemitic and lots of other things,” but added that they were “working things out.”
“But Harvard wants to fight, they want to show how smart they are and they’re getting their a** kicked,” he said.
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