Pence Warns of ‘Slippery Slope’ in Revoking Harvard’s Nonprofit Status—But Is All for Yanking Federal Funds

“I strongly help the withholding of federal funds till steps have been taken,” mentioned the previous vp in an interview with Free Beacon Editor in Chief Eliana Johnson

Former vice-president Mike Pence supplied a certified protection of the Trump authorities assault on Harvard College on Thursday, and endorsed the choice to freeze the federal assist, however warning the withdrawal of the tax-free standing of the varsity could possibly be a “easy slope”.

In an interview with Washington Free Beacon Editor of Chief Eliana Johnson, Pence mentioned it was reliable for the federal government to chop funds at universities who don’t take steps to confront anti -Semitism.

“I strongly help the contents of federal funds till steps have been taken,” Pence mentioned within the interview, which was organized by William F. Buckley program of Yale College. “I give President Trump and the brand new administration all credit score on the planet as a result of they are saying there isn’t a room for anti -Semitism.”

Pence, nonetheless, added that he “had worries” about Trump’s promise to withdraw the tax -free standing of Harvard and to name it a “easy slope” that would result in the prosecution of conservative establishments underneath a democratic presidency.

The interview, which passed off in New York Metropolis as a part of the annual “Disinvitation Dinner” of the Buckley program, which honors figures whose invites to talking at faculties and universities have been canceled due to the left protest, supplied a window within the pondering of the primary 100 days of the second trump. entered into.

Pence was not shy to criticize his former operating buddy – particularly about his pardons of the January 6 – complainants – in a Interview with CNN This week. He repeated a variety of that criticism on Thursday, but additionally made a distinction between the president and the individuals round him, with the argument that Trump usually has higher instincts than the populist assistants in his cupboard.

On Ukraine, for instance, Pence blamed the isolationism of the White Home “Voices in … The feast that will allow us to run away” and mentioned that Trump’s nature just isn’t “one in every of retreat”.

“I do not assume that is his core ultimately,” Pence mentioned. “However he has votes round him that make that case.”

With out trivializing the riot on January 6, Pence additionally appeared comparatively optimistic concerning the state of American democracy – and skeptical that Trump was a lethal menace to it.

“A day of tragedy grew to become a triumph of freedom as a result of our establishments held up,” he mentioned about January 6. “Members of each events got here collectively once more and accomplished our work underneath the Structure of america of America.”

When requested if america would have a peaceable switch of energy in 2028, Pence replied: “I’m assured that we’ll do this.”