Three men depart from gates bearing the letter H. The man in the brown jacket states that Trump has forced him to root for Harvard. The other two carry briefcases and glance back. This image addresses recent administration steps targeting university endowments and foreign student policies. The visual ties directly to ongoing disputes over federal grants and institutional practices at Harvard as of late May 2025.
The cartoon depicts two college students in a dorm room discussing their choice of school. One states that her top pick is the institution with an endowment large enough to protect her from the government. The scene reflects ongoing tensions between universities and federal authorities over funding, campus policies, and compliance issues at schools such as Harvard and Columbia. Large endowments are portrayed as a buffer against potential cuts or regulatory pressure tied to discrimination concerns and other disputes.
The cartoon depicts Harvard University refusing demands from President Trump while representatives from Columbia University, law firms and the Washington Post kneel in submission. A crowned Trump figure holds a paper labeled demands. The scene comments on recent tensions between the administration and higher education institutions over funding and compliance as of April 2025.
