President Donald Trump announced that he will give two college commencement speeches next month as his administration continues to put pressure on academic institutions nationwide.
“I have agreed to do the Commencement Address at two really GREAT places, the University of Alabama and, WEST POINT. Stay tuned for times and dates!!!” the president wrote Tuesday.
According to the University of Alabama’s website, the school’s commencement festivities take place on the weekend of May 2-4. Meanwhile, West Point’s ceremonies are scheduled for May 27.
Trump announced the speeches at the same time it was reported that Harvard University has filed a lawsuit against the administration over the freezing of federal funds as a standoff continues over protests, deportations, and DEI practices.
A total of seven colleges have been threatened with funding freezes in recent months.
Six of the seven universities impacted are Ivy League schools.
Trump vowed to pursue these federal cuts on the campaign trail last year, saying he would focus on schools that push “critical race theory, transgender insanity, and other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content.” Public school systems are also targets for cuts.
The administration announced that its antisemitism task force would conduct a “comprehensive review ” of Harvard on March 31. The government was set to review nearly $9 billion of federal grants and contracts.
Harvard is among the universities across the country where pro-Palestinian protests erupted on campus amid the war in Gaza last year. Republican officials have since heavily scrutinized those universities, and several Ivy League presidents testified before Congress to discuss antisemitism allegations.
Another major issue on college campuses is the threatened deportations and apprehension of students.
Last week, the ACLU filed a lawsuit on behalf of over 100 students regarding ICE activity on campuses.
“International students are a vital community in our state’s universities, and no administration should be allowed to circumvent the law to unilaterally strip students of status, disrupt their studies, and put them at risk of deportation,” said Gilles Bissonnette, legal director of the ACLU of New Hampshire.
At schools around the country, students have seen their visas revoked or their legal status terminated, typically with little notice.
About 1,100 students at more than 170 colleges, universities, and university systems have been affected since late March, according to an Associated Press review of university statements, correspondence with school officials, and court records.
Students have filed other lawsuits arguing they were denied due process. Federal judges have granted temporary restraining orders in New Hampshire, Wisconsin, and Montana, shielding students from efforts to remove them from the U.S.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
