There’s no doubt that bloated government bureaucracies need pruning—like an overgrown forest choking off light and life beneath. Universities, too, have often lost their way, nurturing ideological extremes and tolerating open defiance of civil norms. Harvard and other elite institutions have enabled left-wing extremism, including support for Hamas and a disturbing rise in antisemitism. Free speech has suffered, and accountability has waned. These institutions must be held to U.S. laws and ethical standards.
But President Trump’s response—slashing research funding and targeting international students—isn’t pruning. It’s setting fire to the entire forest. And in the process, he’s threatening the very roots of America’s scientific leadership, economic prosperity, and global influence.
