1. United States
2. La.
3. Letter

President Trump's threat to revoke Harvard University's tax-exempt status raises serious legal concerns. As legal experts have noted, his public comments directing the IRS to take action against Harvard appear to violate a federal law prohibiting the president from influencing tax investigations of specific taxpayers. This law exists to prevent the abuse of executive power for political retribution or suppression of free speech. Attempting to coerce an institution by threatening punitive tax action due to disagreement with its policies would be an unconstitutional violation of the First Amendment. Furthermore, the legal process for revoking an institution's tax-exempt status involves a rigorous examination and appeal procedure that could take years to resolve. Experts are skeptical the IRS would be able to demonstrate Harvard's activities violate public policy in a manner that overcomes constitutional protections. The president's rhetoric undermines any legitimate legal arguments his administration may attempt to make. President Trump and his administration have sworn to uphold the constitution and obey the law. They must be held accountable for their unlawful conduct. Ultimately, the president's public statements seem intended to intimidate and retaliate against Harvard for perceived opposition, rather than uphold lawful policymaking procedures. Such conduct erodes principles of government accountability and threatens constitutional safeguards. Accountability measures are warranted to address this apparent abuse of executive authority for unlawful ends that undermine the rule of law.