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If you believe antisemitism is the reason why President Trump has launched his vicious war against Harvard University, there’s a bridge in Brooklyn that I would like to sell you.
It’s just part of Trump’s relentless assault on the watchdogs of America’s democracy (e.g., academia, lawyers, judges, journalists, governmental regulators, cultural institutions) in his bid to transform the US into an authoritarian state.
As the world’s most prestigious university, Harvard is a juicy target for MAGA World.
But rather than caving to Trump’s demands as fellow Ivy League school Columbia University did, Harvard stood its ground.
Threatened with the loss of $400M in federal money, Columbia basically ceded oversight of its Middle Eastern, South Asian and African Studies department to Team Trump.
In standing up to the presidential bully, Harvard president Alan Garber wrote: “No government—regardless of which party is in power—should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.” Amen to that.
And how does Trump respond? “Harvard has been hiring almost all woke, Radical Left, idiots and 'birdbrains' who are only capable of teaching FAILURE to students and so-called 'future leaders,'” he posted on Truth Social.
“Harvard can no longer be considered even a decent place of learning, and should not be considered on any list of the World’s Great Universities or Colleges,” Trump posted. “Harvard is a JOKE, teaches Hate and Stupidity, and should no longer receive Federal Funds.”
That’s from a guy who fronted Trump University, which promised to teach students the “secrets of success” in the real estate business.
Trump and TU agreed to settle a federal case in 2018, shelling out $25M to students who claimed they were duped.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Trump’s decision to withhold $2.2B in funding to Harvard has put scientific research tied to treatments for tuberculosis, cancer and ALS on ice.
People will die because of Trump’s attack on a pillar of our democracy.
Dealing the cards… The Trump administration is paying El Salvador $6M to jail people deported from the US without due process. Yet the US claims it can’t force El Salvador to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia, as demanded by the US Supreme Court.
In his Feb. 28 Oval Office shouting match, Donald Trump told Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky “doesn’t hold the cards” concerning a potential ceasefire with Russia.
Doesn’t the US as the most powerful nation in the word hold the cards when it comes to dealing with El Salvador?
Trump trashed any dignity remaining in his Oval Office by hosting El Salvador’s gangster president Nayib Bukele, a serial human rights abuser.
Trump wants Bukele to build more prisons to house what he called America's “homegrown” deportees.
US District Judge James Boasberg ruled April 16 that “probable cause exists” to hold Team Trump in criminal contempt for violating his orders in mid-March to stop using the Alien Enemies Act to deport alleged Venezuelan gang members.
He will decide his next steps after the Justice Dept. responds to his decision.
Let’s see how Trump plays his cards.
Cheeky Frenchman. You got to love the cheekiness of Publicis Groupe CEO Arthur Sadoun, who can be counted on to take swipes at the competition when releasing the firm’s financials.
Sadoun gives a Q1 report shout out to the more than 25K engineers employed by Publicis, who can “future-proof” client work in the age of AI.
“These competitive advantages, and our diversified revenue mix that continues to withstand business cycles, mean that today we are confident in outperforming not only in 2025—for the 6th year in a row—but also beyond, in what will be a shrinking competitive landscape."
Will Publicis Group be the last communications firm standing? Sadoun seems to think so.
FIFA is expected to scrap its “FIFA Peace Prize-Football Unites the World” award at its December council meeting. That’s not enough... Big Oil is loaded with cash flowing from the Iran war. Wall Street wants to know how will it spend the windfall... More and more killers of journalists are escaping punishment.
Will White House press secretary Katie Zacharia remain on the job for two or three Scaramuccis?... President Trump reaches a new low with wicked deal to buy diesel from his puppet-master Vladimir Putin... Russian influence operations pump out more than 900 stories in impersonated western media outlets to undermine support for Ukraine.
Donald Trump is 100 percent correct that he has lousy PR but that's only because his policies stink and are hurting Americans... Will billionaires or civil society groups shape the future of AI regulations?... "Evidence in an Age of Doubt" is the timely theme of this year's investigative film festival put on by the 100Reporters group. 
WPP CEO Cindy Rose works to manage shareholder expectations ahead of the Oct. 29 release of financials. Don't expect a miracle turnaround... Kudos to Skydance chief David Ellison for keeping CNN CEO Mark Thompson on the job. Now he has to expend Thompson's contract... Vast majority of Americans want federal government to regulate AI. They obviously don't trust the "super intelligence" president to oversee AI.
Don’t believe what your eyes see and ears hear is the mantra of Donald Trump who claims his propaganda advertising designed to boost his fragile ego are “clearly not campaign ads”... Democratic National Committee steps up outreach to Jewish Americans as antisemitism rises and traditional support for Israel tanks. 
