Education Secretary Defends Hiring Holocaust Deniers at Harvard
Speaking before the House Education and Workforce Committee Wednesday amid the White House's efforts to dismantle her agency, McMahon claimed that the Trump administration's treatment of Harvard University—which includes orders for the university to introduce conservative viewpoints into its curriculum—has been fair.
'You're saying Harvard can have its funding and its international students back if and when it teaches what the Trump administration demands,' said California Representative Mark Takano, citing an April 11 letter from the DoEd which effectively ransomed the university's federal funding until Harvard abolished 'all criteria, preferences, and practices … that function as ideological litmus tests.'
'Does refusing to hire a Holocaust denier as a member of Harvard's history department faculty count as an ideological litmus test?' asked Takano.
'I believe that there should be diversity of viewpoints relative to teachings and opinions on campuses,' McMahon said.
'But what about this situation…. Would being a Holocaust denier count as that?' Takano continued.
But McMahon deflected answering the question directly, pointing instead to Harvard's decision to fire the leaders of its center for Middle Eastern studies.
Takano also pressed McMahon on whether the ordinance would compel Harvard to hire faculty that reject the results of the 2020 presidential election or the efficacy of vaccines. In response, the education secretary insisted that there 'should be different viewpoints' in America's most elite universities—even if those viewpoints are not based in any matter of science, fact, or proof. McMahon also scolded Takano for impressing a 'political ideology' that she argued was a 'false narrative.'
Pennsylvania Representative Summer Lee also torched McMahon for using the Education Department to introduce dangerous and unfounded ideas into American history, asking the former professional wrestling promoter to explain what 'both sides' of African-American history would be.
'During your confirmation hearing you were asked by Senator Chris Murphy if an African-American history class violated the administration's position on diversity, equity, and inclusion. You said you would look into it,' said Lee. 'Have you looked into it?''I do not think that African studies or Middle East studies or Chinese studies are part of DEI—if they are taught as the total history package,' responded McMahon. 'So that if you're giving the facts on both sides, of course they're not DEI.'
'I don't know what both sides of African-American history would be,' Lee said.
'Well if African American history is part of—' McMahon started, before Lee interjected to argue that it would be impossible to teach the whole of history in singular semesters.
'Do you not agree that it makes sense that there would be separate courses for these courses of study?' Lee said, pointing out that the same teaching philosophy exists across areas of study, from literature to music. 'One wouldn't study baroque music and necessarily have to learn about African studies at the same time.'
McMahon eventually conceded that she agreed African history could be taught as an isolated area of study without being considered a 'DEI course.'
Trump signed an executive order to strip the Education Department for parts in March. The order had McMahon's approval.
The agency has historically been responsible for approving, monitoring, and distributing federal financial aid, such as Pell Grants and other aid made available to the public via the FAFSA. It's also been responsible for assessing and analyzing America's K-12 systems, as well as aggregating data and research on American educational policies. The department also oversaw the implementation of Title IX, and ensured that the American public had equal access to a valuable education.
In the immediate wake of the order, McMahon penned the mass layoff of more than half the agency's staff.
The Education Department was already the smallest Cabinet agency, with just over 4,000 employees. Its budget cost American taxpayers $268 billion in 2024, roughly four percent of overall spending.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indianapolis Star
an hour ago
- Indianapolis Star
Republicans stooped to Democrats' level using Trump's tax bill to buy votes
Now that President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act has been signed into law, we can get into analyzing what is actually in the legislation. There are a few things that are clear to me as a conservative who hoped Republicans would push sound fiscal policies. Primarily, this is a flawed conservative policy. While it is a good thing that the 2017 Trump tax cuts were extended, there remain a ton of problems with the bill. Many of the tax break provisions have less to do with economics and more to do with pandering to the American people. Congressional Republicans seemingly made little attempt to justify their poor fiscal ideas, choosing instead to pass Trump's agenda by any means necessary. More: Data centers are inevitable, but why should Indiana pay for their energy demand? | Opinion However, the law goes further, creating new tax exemptions for Social Security, tips and overtime pay. These policies, in addition to the poor policy of an increased cap on state and local taxes, are little more than bribes to the American people. Opinion: Trump's tax bill will crush the rural voters who chose him I'm all for new tax cuts, provided we are reducing spending at the same time. But there is no economic rationale for exempting any of these forms of income from taxation. These incomes are not unique in their impact on the economy and should not be treated as such. The only reason for not taxing tips or overtime in favor of other forms of income is that MAGA lawmakers think they can buy votes. It's a tactic often employed by congressional Democrats, who promise either student loan forgiveness or taxing the ultrawealthy in order to buy middle-class and youth votes. Conservatives should not be proud of our leaders for stooping so low. Not only are these cuts not coherent in theory, they aren't even fiscally sound conservative policies. The issue with this law is that it overlooks the increasingly massive deficit that will be incurred to fund it, as well as the aforementioned new tax breaks. While it attempts to bridge this gap with good policies, such as work requirements for Medicaid and food stamp benefits, it isn't enough. Even after accounting for the economic growth the tax cuts are anticipated to generate, the bill is estimated to add $3.8 trillion to the deficit over the next decade. Tax cuts paid for through deficit spending aren't really tax cuts. The cuts still need to be paid for, and both options for doing so would be an additional burden on the American people. The first option is through borrowing money, which not only further increases the national debt but also increases the revenue required later to repay that debt. Second, this is achieved through printing more money, which is inflationary and places further costs on Americans. There is no magic third way that allows the government to cut taxes and keep spending without, at some point, hurting Americans. The only way to truly create tax cuts is by commensurately cutting spending at the same time. However, responsible budgets are not the goal of the current GOP. The main goal is to deliver on Trump's populist attempts to bribe voters, even if, ultimately, this will hurt those voters.
San Francisco Chronicle
2 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
California farmworker who fell from greenhouse roof during chaotic ICE raid dies
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A farmworker who fell from a greenhouse roof during a chaotic ICE raid this week at a California cannabis facility died Saturday of his injuries. Jaime Alanis, 57, is the first person to die in one of the Trump administration's anti-immigration operations. Yesenia Duran, Alanis' niece, confirmed his death to The Associated Press. Duran has posted on the fundraising site GoFundMe to say her uncle was his family's only provider and he had been sending his earnings back to a wife and daughter in Mexico. The United Food Workers said Alanis worked at the farm for 10 years. 'These violent and cruel federal actions terrorize American communities, disrupt the American food supply chain, threaten lives and separate families,' the union said recently in a statement on the social platform X. The UFW reported Alanis' death prematurely late Friday, but the Ventura County Medical Center later issued a statement authorized by the family saying he was still on life support. The Department of Homeland Security said it executed criminal search warrants Thursday at Glass House Farms facilities in Camarillo and Carpinteria. Garcia called family to say he was hiding and possibly was fleeing agents before he fell about 30 feet (9 meters) from the roof and broke his neck, according to information from family, hospital and government sources. Agents arrested some 200 people suspected of being in the country illegally and identified at least 10 immigrant children on the sites, DHS said in a statement. Alanis was not among them, the agency said. 'This man was not in and has not been in CBP or ICE custody,' DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. 'Although he was not being pursued by law enforcement, this individual climbed up to the roof of a greenhouse and fell 30 feet. CBP immediately called a medivac to the scene to get him care as quickly as possible.' Four U.S. citizens were arrested during the incident for allegedly 'assaulting or resisting officers,' according to DHS, and authorities were offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of a person suspected of firing a gun at federal agents. During the raid crowds of people gathered outside the facility in Camarillo to seek information about their relatives and protest immigration enforcement. Authorities clad in military-style helmets and uniforms faced off with the demonstrators, and people ultimately retreated amid acrid green and white billowing smoke. Glass House, a licensed California cannabis grower, said in a statement that immigration agents had valid warrants. The company said workers were detained and it is helping provide them with legal representation. The farm also grows tomatoes and cucumbers. 'Glass House has never knowingly violated applicable hiring practices and does not and has never employed minors,' it said.
Business Upturn
3 hours ago
- Business Upturn
Ex-CIA Insider Points to Overlooked U.S. Resource as Possible Gamechanger in Trump's Economic Agenda
Washington, D.C., July 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A presentation from former CIA advisor and White House insider Jim Rickards is raising new questions about the role long-ignored federal resources could play in supporting President Trump's agenda. Could this be a big part of Trump's upcoming economic proposal—widely referred to as the 'Big Beautiful Bill?' The case Rickards lays out is simple: the U.S. may already own the resources it needs to support major development—without borrowing, printing, or taxing. The Mineral Wealth America Forgot In the presentation, Rickards draws attention to a vast inventory of minerals buried beneath U.S. federal land—lithium, uranium, copper, and rare earths. '$516 billion is here in the Salton Sea area of California… $3.1 trillion is held in Nome, Alaska. And $7.35 trillion is here, in Midland, Texas…' Rickards writes. According to him, these assets have remained untouched 'because politicians haven't been able to raid it… which has allowed it to grow… for decades'. 'We're Going to Open Them Up' President Trump recently signaled an impending shift in resource policy: 'There are certain areas where we have great, raw earth… and we're not allowed to use it because of the environment. I'm going to open them up'. Rickards sees this as a potential inflection point. 'Trump is re-opening our mineral-rich Federal Lands. And fast-tracking companies that could recover trillions of dollars' worth of resources, right here in America' . This shift may quietly complement larger efforts to reinvigorate American manufacturing, supply chains, and self-reliance. Long-Stalled Projects May Be Back in Play According to Rickards, some of the most promising sites have been gridlocked for decades: 'Resolution Copper Mine… 29 years. Pebble Mine… since 1990. Thacker Pass Lithium Mine… since 1978' . 'We know exactly where these minerals are. We know they're worth trillions of dollars. And now—for the first time in half a century—we can go get them' . Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same. Ahmedabad Plane Crash
