As Donald Trump steps up his attacks on Harvard University, his long-time biographer Michael Wolff has offered a striking explanation for the former President&rsquo;s hostility. While many online have speculated that Trump&rsquo;s resentment stems from claims that his son, Barron, was not accepted by the elite university, Wolff believes the grudge may actually be rooted in Trump&rsquo;s own experience
Speaking on The Daily Beast podcast, Wolff &mdash; author of Fire and Fury, Siege: Trump Under Fire, and All or Nothing &mdash; dismissed the idea that Trump&rsquo;s actions stem from strategic thinking.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s important not to attribute too much calculation to anything he does,&rdquo; Wolff remarked. &ldquo;But what&rsquo;s also true is that he didn&rsquo;t get into Harvard. And with Trump, that kind of slight becomes a permanent grudge.&rdquo;
According to Wolff, this is emblematic of what he calls &ldquo;the Trump show&rdquo; &mdash; a constant search for enemies and spectacle. &ldquo;He needs a target,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Harvard, with all its elitism and prestige, fits that role perfectly. It&rsquo;s drama, it grabs headlines &mdash; and that&rsquo;s the world Trump thrives in.&rdquo;
Official records do not confirm whether Trump ever applied to Harvard. What is known is that he began his university education at Fordham before transferring to the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a degree in economics. The White House, in response to Wolff&rsquo;s claims, dismissed them as &ldquo;fake news&rdquo;, stating: &ldquo;The President didn&rsquo;t need to apply to an overrated, corrupt institution like Harvard to become a successful businessman and the most transformative President in history.&rdquo;
Trump v/s Harvard: 
Since returning to office for a second term, Trump has taken a far more aggressive stance against Ivy League universities, particularly Harvard. Citing a push to eliminate antisemitism on campuses, he has accused his predecessor, Joe Biden, of letting elite institutions off the hook.
Harvard became the first target of the administration&rsquo;s renewed efforts last month, when the White House imposed a $2.2 billion freeze on federal funding. Trump issued a list of conditions for the funding to be reinstated &mdash; conditions Harvard ultimately rejected.
Tensions escalated further last week when the administration issued a formal notice prohibiting Harvard from enrolling international students, citing an ongoing federal investigation. The letter offered a 72-hour window for the university to comply with Trump&rsquo;s demands and avoid the ban. Harvard refused.
In response, the university issued a strong statement condemning the move as &ldquo;unlawful&rdquo; and accused the administration of undermining academic independence and international collaboration.
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Wolff: Trump needs enemies for drama — Harvard’s elitism makes it the perfect target

Donald Trump’s Feud with Harvard: A Personal Grudge?

Wolff: Trump needs enemies for drama — Harvard’s elitism makes it the perfect target

May 31, 2025 | 09:41 IST