U.S. President Donald Trump has intensified his criticism of Harvard University, calling it a "disgrace" just a day after labelling the institution a "joke." His latest remarks come as protests spread across the country following the White House’s move to freeze around USD 2.3 billion in federal funding, along with reports that the Internal Revenue Service is preparing to strip Harvard of its tax-exempt status, a step that could have major financial consequences for the university.

"They're obviously anti-Semitic, and all of a sudden they're starting to behave," Trump said on Thursday, reinforcing his earlier attacks on what he described as Harvard's "all-woke" faculty. "I think Harvard is a disgrace." These comments came after Trump posted on social media Tuesday, suggesting he might try to remove Harvard’s tax-exempt status if it keeps promoting what he called "political, ideological, and terrorist-inspired/supporting 'Sickness?'"

When asked on Thursday whether the IRS had made a decision, Trump responded, "I'm not involved in it. I read about it just like you did. But tax-exempt status - I mean, it's a privilege. It's really a privilege, and it's been abused by a lot more than Harvard."

That same day, outrage over the possible IRS action sparked protests at the University of California's Berkeley campus. Hundreds of students, faculty, and community members gathered at a rally called "Rally for the Right to Learn!" where officials were met with boos. Protesters carried signs that said "Hands off our free speech!" and "Education is a public good!", accusing the Trump administration of attempting to silence voices of dissent on campus.

The protests are part of a wider reaction from academics and student groups who believe the Trump administration is taking harsh measures against universities over how they handled last year’s pro-Palestinian demonstrations. After the Hamas-led attack on Israel in 2023 and Israel’s subsequent military actions in Gaza, many universities, including Columbia and Harvard, experienced waves of student protests. The White House responded by labelling the protests as "anti-American" and "anti-Semitic." In response to a firm letter from Harvard President Alan Garber on Monday, which dismissed the administration's demands as lacking legal basis, the government froze around $2.3 billion in federal funds meant for Harvard.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also announced that two grants totalling over $2.7 million were being revoked. She further warned that if Harvard didn’t comply with specific visa-related requirements, it might lose the ability to enrol international students.

Harvard has responded by stating that it will follow legal requirements but "will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights."

The university pushed back against the IRS threat, arguing that revoking its tax-exempt status would be baseless and could have severe consequences, including reduced financial aid, harm to medical research, and increased politicisation of higher education oversight.

White House spokesperson Harrison Fields clarified that the IRS investigation was undertaken independently, saying, "Any forthcoming actions by the IRS are conducted independently of the President." He added, "Investigations into any institution's violations of their tax status were initiated prior to the President's TRUTH." Nevertheless, on Thursday, Trump clearly stated that other universities may soon come under the same scrutiny: "When you take a look at places like Columbia, Harvard, Princeton - I don't know what's going on, but we'll be looking at it very strongly."