Barack Obama commended Harvard University for refusing to yield to demands from the Trump administration that threatened a significant amount of federal funding. The former president praised Harvard's stance as a beacon for other educational institutions and emphasized the importance of upholding academic freedom and fostering an environment of intellectual inquiry and respectful debate. Harvard's decision drew support from Obama and was seen as a stand against directives aiming to restrict academic independence and student expression. The university's president, Alan Garber, reiterated that complying with the federal demands would exceed the government's authority and jeopardize the school's autonomy and constitutional rights. Despite potential funding cuts, Harvard's principled stance was lauded in the academic community as a defense of academic freedom and institutional self-governance.