Trump threatens Harvard's tax-exempt status — again

• "We are going to be taking away Harvard's Tax Exempt Status," he wrote on Truth Social. "It's what they deserve!"

Reality check: Most public and private universities and colleges are tax-exempt entities, per the Association of American Universities.

• The federal government has long recognized higher ed institutions' educational purposes as "fundamental to fostering the productive and civic capacity of its citizens."
• Public schools are also tax exempt because they are state governmental entities.

What they're saying: "The government has long exempted universities from taxes in order to support their educational mission," Harvard's statement said.

• "The tax exemption means that more of every dollar can go toward scholarships for students, lifesaving and life-enhancing medical research, and technological advancements that drive economic growth."

Catch up quick: Trump last month asked the Internal Revenue Service to rescind Harvard's tax-exempt status.

• At that point, he said the school should be taxed as a "political entity" for pushing politics and ideology.

Zoom out: The Trump administration froze $2.2 billion in federal funds to Harvard after the university declined to comply with a list of demands.

• Harvard filed a federal lawsuit against the administration, arguing that the Trump admin had violated its constitutional rights.
• The university's president, Alan Garber, apologized this week after the release of two internal reports on antisemitism and anti-Arab bias. He promised changes to address tensions.

Go deeper: Trump's college funding threats can't be offset by their endowments

Editor's note: This story has been updated with a statement from a Harvard spokesperson and additional context and details.