Politics
Harvard Researchers Say Strong Campaigns, Effective Anti-Trump Messaging Boosted Democrats in 2025 Elections
Political scientists at Harvard said Democratic victories in last week’s off-cycle elections were a sign of powerful backlash to Donald Trump’s presidency, but that Democrats could not afford to rest on their laurels ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Rep. Pressley Bolsters Israel-Palestine Peace Movement, Criticizes Trump’s SNAP Cuts at Harvard Square Event
Rep. Ayanna S. Pressley (D-Mass.) took aim at the Trump administration’s cuts to social services and support for Israel’s war in Gaza in a speech to an audience of more than 300 at the First Parish Church on Sunday.
ACLU President Deborah Archer Receives PBHA ‘Call of Service’ Award
American Civil Liberties Union President Deborah N. Archer delivered a grim assessment of the state of civil rights protections on Friday at a Phillips Brooks House Association event honoring her with the annual Robert Coles “Call of Service” award.
HKS Lecturer Advised Zohran Mamdani on Sustaining Momentum, Avoiding the ‘Obama Trap’
Harvard Kennedy School lecturer Marshall L. Ganz ’64 met with incoming New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani in August to advise his campaign on how to sustain a grassroots movement once in office.
Harvard Faculty Adjust to Teaching in the Political Hot Seat
As Harvard spends another year under the glare of a political spotlight, its instructors face a new challenge: teaching students about the same topics that draw furious headlines.
Venezuelan Opposition Leaders Say Military Support May Be Last Resort at IOP Forum
Former Venezuelan National Assembly deputy Miguel A. Pizarro said he supports potential U.S. military intervention in Venezuela during a panel at the Institute of Politics Wednesday evening.
Allston Residents and Officials Condemn Election Day Immigration Raid at Car Wash
Allston residents and elected officials rallied in support of nine Guatemalan and Salvadoran people who were detained by immigration enforcement officers on Tuesday morning.
Alexandra Bowers Seeks to Amplify School Council Voices in Bid for Cambridge School Committee
Alexandra G. Bowers, a current Cambridge school council member and former Cambridge Day journalist, is campaigning to increase the power of families in the district’s decision-making in her inaugural run for School Committee.
Eurasia Group Founder Warns of Waning U.S. Global Influence at IOP Forum
Political scientist and consultant Ian Bremmer warned that the U.S. may be losing its stake as a global superpower as countries react to the Trump administration’s departure from foreign policy precedent at an Institute of Politics forum Tuesday night.
Harvard’s Congressional Districts Hit Hard By Federal Funding Shutdown
Harvard’s congressional districts have seen the largest funding cuts in Massachusetts as the federal government enters the twenty-seventh day of the shutdown.
Moulton to Return Donations from Pro-Israel PAC As Senate Race Approaches
Representative Seth W. Moulton ‘01 (D-Mass.) pledged last week to return all donations he has received from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and refused to accept future campaign funding from the organization.
Dunster Resident Dean Addresses Backlash Over Social Media Posts Blasting Trump, Police
Dunster House resident dean Gregory K. Davis reaffirmed his commitment to maintaining a welcoming space for all students in an email sent to House affiliates on Wednesday after years-old comments he made on social media resurfaced, sparking calls for his resignation.
Journalist Melanie Amann Condemns Politicization of Free Speech in Germany and at Harvard
German journalist Melanie Amann said that politicizing free speech regulations restricts discourse while creating artificial viewpoint diversity at a talk on Tuesday afternoon.
CNN’s Dana Bash Criticizes New Pentagon Reporting Restrictions as ‘Ridiculous’ at Harvard Talk
CNN’s chief political correspondent Dana R. Bash criticized the Trump administration’s new restrictions on reporting in the Pentagon, calling them “ridiculous” during an Institute of Politics Forum on Wednesday night.
Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman Accuses Democrats of Silence on Ceasefire at Private HKS Event
Senator John K. Fetterman (D-PA) said Democrats only support ceasefires in Gaza when it is politically advantageous at a talk co-hosted by the Institute of Politics and Harvard Chabad on Sunday afternoon.
Former FTC Chair Lina Khan Urges Democrats to Rethink Federal Agency Function at IOP Forum
Lina Khan, the former chair of the Federal Trade Commission, said Democrats must respond to Department of Government Efficiency-led cutbacks with a new vision for effective federal agencies in a lecture at the Institute of Politics on Thursday night.
Former Jan. 6 Prosecutor Denounces Trump’s Decision to Pardon Rioters at HLS Talk
Mike Romano, who supervised the federal government’s effort to prosecute crimes related to the Jan. 6, 2021, storming of the U.S. Capitol, slammed President Donald Trump’s decision to pardon the rioters during a discussion at Harvard Law School on Wednesday.
The Crimson Signs Amicus Brief in Suit Claiming Trump Admin Suppressed Noncitizens’ Speech in Student Papers
The Harvard Crimson joined 43 other college newspapers on an amicus brief filed Wednesday in support of a lawsuit challenging the federal government’s targeting of noncitizens for political speech.
Rep. Seth Moulton ’01 To Face Off Against Sen. Markey in Senate Run
Representative Seth W. Moulton ’01 (D-Mass.) launched his bid for Senate Wednesday in a posted campaign video, denouncing the age of incumbent Ed J. Markey (D-Mass.) in his announcement.
Most Americans Oppose Trump’s Attack on Universities, But They Have Concerns About Campus Cultures, New Survey Finds
A majority of Americans oppose the Trump administration’s attempts to influence university operations by restricting funding, though more than 75 percent are concerned about free speech policies, liberal bias, and discrimination on campus, according to a survey released Wednesday.
City Council Candidates Weigh In Against Trump Settlement at Harvard Dems Forum
Cambridge City Council candidates pushed Harvard to stand up to the Trump administration at a Tuesday night forum hosted by the Harvard College Democrats.
Philippines Senator Risa Hontiveros Says She Is ‘Open’ to 2028 Presidential Run at Harvard Talk
Philippines Senator Risa Hontiveros said she would consider a presidential bid in the country’s 2028 elections and criticized its current government for corruption at a Monday talk hosted by the Harvard Yenching Institute. Hontiveros, who has served as a leading opposition figure in the Senate of the Philippines since she was elected in 2016, said her visit to Harvard was the culmination of a week in the U.S. that featured town hall meetings with Filipino Americans in Las Vegas and Boston. Since at least this spring, Hontiveros has positioned herself as a 2028 challenger to Philippines Vice President Sara Duterte, likely to be current President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s chosen successor.
A Majority of Frozen Federal Funding Has Been Restored, Harvard Says
Harvard has now received payments on the majority of funding that it lost since the Trump administration froze its access to federal grants this spring, the University notified faculty this month.
‘Education Based on Income’: Cambridge’s Child Care Puzzle
Cambridge’s universal preschool program was a historic investment in early childhood education. But some families are still falling through cracks in the city’s child care landscape — creating a culture of intense strategization around preschool enrollment.
Former Singapore Foreign Minister Urges Power Sharing Among Asian Countries at IOP
Former Minister for Foreign Affairs of Singapore George Yeo said his country and other Asian countries have a duty to share regional power at an Institute of Politics Forum on Wednesday night.