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Massachusetts Governor Maura T. Healey ’92 condemned the Trump administration again at a Tuesday webinar organized by alumni group Crimson Courage, where she said the Trump administration’s attacks on Harvard would harm Massachusetts.
“I stand with Harvard, not only as an alum, but as a governor really concerned about the direction of the economy and the American economy and the devastating impact this has,” she said.
Crimson Courage, founded earlier this year to encourage Harvard to stand up to the Trump administration’s demands, hosted a panel of prominent alumni during the webinar. Panelists, including New York Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado and Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne Jr. ’73, all praised Harvard’s defiant stance.
Healey said that while she denounced antisemitism and commended Harvard President Alan M. Garber ’76 for his efforts to combat it, the Trump administration’s actions are “not about stopping antisemitism.”
“This isn’t about that issue. To me, it’s simply a pretext for attacking anyone with whom the president or the administration has disagreement,” Healey said. “We’ve seen that again, with law firms, with corporations, with ordinary Americans — and now with colleges and universities.”
The webinar came hours after Trump threatened to pull $100 million in remaining federal contracts to Harvard — a move Healey said threatened more than just the University.
“When President Trump attacks Harvard, he’s attacking the Massachusetts economy,” Healey said. “He’s also attacking the American economy.”
Harvard is the fourth-largest employer in the state and contributes more than $6 billion to the state’s economy, Healey said. She said Trump’s attempts to revoke Harvard’s ability to enroll international students threatens the $384 million that the students add to the local economy, per an estimate from NAFSA: Association of International Educators.
“This is about more than Harvard,” she added.
The webinar — which brought in more than 3,000 participants — focused on encouraging alumni to sign an amicus brief in the University’s first lawsuit against the Trump administration, drafted on behalf of Harvard graduates voicing strong support of Harvard’s position.
“Without due process or any recognizable basis in law — and with complete disregard for the freedoms the Constitution secures and the constraints it imposes — the government has embarked on a campaign to deploy every power at its disposal to damage Harvard,” a draft of the brief read.
Randall L. Kennedy, a professor at Harvard Law School who participated in the webinar, said the University has “acted not only in the long-term best interests of Harvard, but also in the long-term best interests of higher education in America.”
The Trump administration has slashed nearly $3 billion in federal funding to the University, threatened to revoke its tax-exempt status, and attempted to revoke the University’s ability to enroll international students. A growing list of government officials — including Healey — have condemned President Trump’s actions, and Crimson Courage organizers noted that other universities are working to draft their own amici briefs in support of Harvard.
The group is also focused on garnering financial support for the Presidential Priorities Fund, created by Garber to address shortfalls to projects resulting from the funding cuts. The alumni are also recruiting volunteers who plan to hand out Crimson Courage stickers at Commencement and Alumni Day.
The growing team of alumni recognized an increasing urgency to voice their support of Harvard and other universities.
“I don’t believe this is going to stop with Harvard,” Healey said. “If they’re going to do it to Harvard, they can do it to anyone and everyone, and we all need to be really strong together.”
—Staff writer Megan L. Blonigen can be reached at megan.blonigen@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X at @MeganBlonigen.
