During Tuesday’s White House press briefing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt answered questions about President Trump's threats to take away Harvard's tax-exempt status.
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00:00MS.
00:01How are you doing?
00:02Hi, thanks.
00:03Thanks, Caroline.
00:04A follow-up on Harvard.
00:05The President floated on true social and belief, the possibility of removing tax-exempt status.
00:09How serious is that threat that I know the universities is considering?
00:12And then a follow-up question on foreign policy.
00:15What are your – can you give us an update on what the President hopes to come from the
00:19next round of talks with Iran?
00:21MS.
00:22Sure.
00:23First, when it comes to Harvard, as I said, the President has been quite clear they must
00:26follow federal law.
00:27He also wants to see Harvard apologize, and Harvard should apologize, for the egregious
00:32anti-Semitism that took place on their college campus against Jewish American students.
00:36There were professors who said that he had engaged in discriminatory behavior against Jewish students.
00:44Of course, you had the former president of the university saying bullying and harassment
00:48depends on the context.
00:50You also had an encampment on Harvard Yard that we all saw play out before the cameras.
00:55The university failed to impose formal discipline on any students for this anti-Semitic conduct
01:00violations, including the occupation of a campus building and the disruption of classes
01:04with bullhorns.
01:05The President believes Harvard should apologize to its Jewish American students for allowing
01:09such egregious behavior.
01:11As for the tax-exempt status, I would defer you to the IRS for any updates.
01:14I do want to answer your question on Iran, of course.
01:16The maximum pressure campaign on Iran continues.
01:19But as you know, the President has made it clear he wants to see dialogue and discussion
01:23with Iran while making his directive about Iran never being able to obtain a nuclear weapon
01:29quite clear.
01:30And the President spoke to the Sultan of Oman today, who helped facilitate these talks.
01:34I have a readout for all of you.
01:36He held a call with the Sultan of Oman today, and he thanked him for hosting the first direct
01:41meeting between the United States and Iran and emphasized the need for Iran to end its
01:45nuclear program through negotiations.
01:48The two leaders also discussed the United States' ongoing operations against the Houthis
01:52and emphasized that the Houthis will pay a severe price until they end their attacks
01:57on maritime traffic in the Red Sea.
01:59As you know, an additional negotiation between Steve Witkoff and Iran's representative has
02:04been scheduled for Saturday.
02:06And since these are ongoing negotiations, I have nothing more to add on that.
02:09MS.
02:10I think we're going to go to the next slide.
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02:26MS.