Harvard's left-leaning history of commencement speakers amid debate about lack of viewpoint diversity
As Harvard University faces more criticism over its lack of conservative views on campus, the school continued a pattern of inviting more left-leaning commencement speakers for its students on Thursday.
Physician and author Abraham Verghese spoke to the graduating class of 2025 and used his speech to attack the "cascade of draconian government measures" from the Trump administration that have led to widespread "uncertainty, pain, and suffering." He also called on Harvard to stand firm against them.
"More people than you realize are grateful for Harvard for the example it has set," Verghese said. "By your clarity in affirming and courageously defending the essential values of this university, and indeed of this nation."
He also highlighted his status as an immigrant at a time when "legal immigrants and others who are lawfully in this country worry about being wrongly detained and even deported."
References to ongoing political conflicts are not new in university commencement speeches, but at Harvard, the political comments have been largely left-leaning, with some of the examples being Democratic politicians themselves.
Since 2015, Harvard has hosted former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, the late Georgia Rep. John Lewis and former U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland.
Garland's address was largely spent warning 2020 and 2021 graduates about the threat to democracy following the Jan. 6 Capitol riots.
"At home, we are also facing threats to democracy – different in kind, but threats, nonetheless," Garland said in 2022. "We see them in efforts to undermine the right to vote. We see them in the violence and threats of violence that are directed at people because of who they are or how they serve the public. We saw them when a violent mob stormed the United States Capitol in an attempt to prevent the peaceful transfer of power."
Guests over the past decade have also included foreign leaders such as former German Chancellor Angela Merkel and former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. During their speeches, they touted legislative accomplishments and goals for issues like climate change and abortion.
"In the past ten years, we have passed laws that include everything from the introduction of gay marriage and the banning of conversion therapy, right through to embedding a 1.5 degree climate change target into law, banning military-style semi-automatics and assault rifles, and the decriminalization of abortion," Ardern boasted in 2022.
Journalists such as Maria Ressa and former Washington Post editor Martin Baron spoke to graduates about the dangers of "disinformation" and the importance of a free press.
"Facts and truth are matters of life and death. Misinformation, disinformation, delusions and deceit can kill," Baron said in 2020.
Other speakers included filmmaker Steven Spielberg, actor Tom Hanks and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, each of whom has had a history of supporting Democratic politicians.
Harvard President Alan Garber recently addressed conservative viewpoints appearing unwelcome on campus and called it a "problem" that needs to be solved.
"Many members of our community have been alarmed that students have become increasingly reluctant to speak openly about controversial or uncomfortable topics, especially if they believe their personal views are unpopular. That's a problem we need to solve," Garber said.
Harvard University announced after Verghese's speech that it had appointed alum Kannon K. Shanmugam, an attorney with "strong Republican ties," to the Harvard Corporation. In a statement to the Harvard Crimson, Garber expressed optimism that Shanmugam would provide "fresh perspectives and valuable insights."
The spotlight on Harvard's lack of viewpoint diversity comes as the Trump administration announces more cuts to federal funding for the school.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Washington Post
16 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Trump: Iran strike ‘spectacular success'
Politics Trump: Iran strike 'spectacular success' June 22, 2025 | 2:19 AM GMT In an address to the nation, President Donald Trump, speaking from the White House on June 21, said U.S. warplanes had struck three Iranian nuclear facilities.
Bloomberg
17 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
Ether Leads Crypto Selloff as US Attacks Nuclear Sites in Iran
Ether fell sharply while Bitcoin held steady after President Donald Trump said American bombers and missiles had struck Iran's three main nuclear sites. The second-ranked token fell as much as 7.7% on Sunday morning in Asia to about $2,200, its lowest intra-day level since May 9. Bitcoin briefly dipped below $101,000 but pared losses to trade relatively evenly in the aftermath of the attacks.
Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
US Attacks Three Main Nuclear Sites in Iran, Widening Conflict
(Bloomberg) — US President Donald Trump said American bombers struck Iran's three main nuclear sites, pulling the US directly into the country's conflict despite his longtime promises to avoid new wars. Bezos Wedding Draws Protests, Soul-Searching Over Tourism in Venice One Architect's Quest to Save Mumbai's Heritage From Disappearing JFK AirTrain Cuts Fares 50% This Summer to Lure Riders Off Roads NYC Congestion Toll Cuts Manhattan Gridlock by 25%, RPA Reports Taser-Maker Axon Triggers a NIMBY Backlash in its Hometown Trump said a 'payload of BOMBS' was dropped on Fordow, the uranium-enrichment site buried deep under a mountain and seen as vulnerable only to 'bunker buster' munitions that the US possesses. Natanz and Isfahan, two other sites, were also struck. The president called the operation 'very successful,' adding that the aircraft involved had exited Iranian air space. 'NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE!' he wrote on Truth Social. Trump addressed the nation at 10 p.m. Washington time at the White House. Israel was notified in advance of the strikes, according to a person familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified discussing private deliberations. Trump spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the strikes, a senior White House official said. The move marks an extraordinary escalation by the president in the week since Israel began airstrikes across Iran and amounts to the most serious foreign-policy decision of his two terms so far. It goes against the advice of US allies in Europe as well as the United Nations' International Atomic Energy Agency, which has repeatedly warned that nuclear facilities must never be attacked given the potential threat to nuclear safety — not to mention radiation leaks. Sign up for our breaking news alerts, and get the biggest stories from around the world delivered to your inbox as they happen. Iran has said it doesn't want a nuclear bomb, and Trump's own intelligence agencies had assessed recently it still hadn't committed to developing such a weapon. Trump, however, had dismissed those findings and had declined to rule out joining the Israeli strikes, which had also killed several prominent Iranian military officials and nuclear scientists. The US strikes could immediately open American assets in the Middle East to attack since Iran had warned it would retaliate if Trump ordered an attack. Trump's combative language in the last couple of days had also triggered new threats from the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen and led Iranian officials to call the US Israel's 'partner in crime.' Iran's retaliation could also come in the form of cyber attacks against American or Israeli interests by hackers linked to the regime in Tehran. Earlier Saturday, the State Department said the US had begun evacuating US citizens from Israel. The agency organized two flights to Athens from Tel Aviv with about 70 US citizens, family member and permanent residents, it said. 'I hope that the Iranians are measured in their response but there will be a response — this is an act of war by the United States against a foreign country, which has not attacked us lately,' said Barbara Slavin, a distinguished fellow at the Stimson Center. 'Americans are at risk all over the Middle East, all over the world.' Iran's official Islamic Republic News Agency reported that authorities in Isfahan confirmed multiple simultaneous explosions in Natanz and Isfahan early Sunday, describing them as 'aggressions' near the two nuclear facilities. Fears of an impending strike had eased after Trump's team said on Thursday he would make a decision within two weeks. On Friday, the foreign ministers of France, Germany and the UK had met with Iranian officials Geneva in a bid to prevent a US attack. The continued fighting has evoked fears of a regional conflict that results in massive civilian casualties, and disrupts the flow of energy and other trade through the region. About a fifth of the world's daily oil supply goes through the Strait of Hormuz, which lies between Iran and its Gulf Arab neighbors such as Saudi Arabia. For days, Trump had faced conflicting advice from his supporters, after he campaigned for president on promises to keep the US out of foreign wars, pointing to American involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq. MAGA allies including longtime Trump supporter Steve Bannon, have warned against any US intervention, insisting this is Israel's fight to finish. Other Republicans had been urging Trump to join the fight against Iran, arguing that Tehran was more vulnerable after days of air strikes by Israel, and there was an opportunity to deliver on the president's long insistence the regime cannot be allowed to have a nuclear weapon. Trump and his advisers had suggested in recent days that any strike would be limited. Trump briefed Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson, according to people familiar with the matter. 'This is not the start of a forever war,' Senator Jim Risch, the Idaho Republican and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said on X. 'There will not be American boots on the ground in Iran. This was a precise, limited strike, which was necessary and by all accounts was very successful.' Energy experts have raised concerns that crude flows in the region could be imperiled if Iran and its proxies retaliate in response to a US attack. Fears have focused on the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway at the mouth of the Persian Gulf that is a key transit point for 26% of the world's oil trade. Houthis have previously disrupted Red Sea shipping, with attacks on ships in the Bab el Mandeb strait forcing vessels to reroute around Africa. A broader attack — including potentially planting naval mines — on the Strait of Hormuz could have even wider consequences, since it's such a vital artery for the region's oil and gas output. What If Iran Tries to Close the Strait of Hormuz?: QuickTake US ally Israel had launched a surprise attack on Iran on June 13, saying the imminent threat of the regime in Tehran securing nuclear weapons had to be neutralized. Iran's military infrastructure was seriously damaged and a number of its top generals and atomic scientists were killed. But Israel lacked the heavy bombs and B-2 stealth jets believed to be required to destroy nuclear sites buried deep underground. Tehran had responded to Israel's strikes by firing waves of ballistic missiles and drones, breaching aerial defenses, striking several cities and causing unprecedented damage. But the number of projectiles launched by Iran dropped markedly after the first few days of the conflict, raising questions about the number of missiles left in its arsenal and its ability to launch them. 'Iran is going to be facing a real dilemma, because they've already been dramatically weakened,' said Dennis Ross, who served as President Bill Clinton's Middle East envoy and is now a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. 'They will try to do something to show they didn't just capitulate or submit, but they have their own interest in trying to limit this.' —With assistance from Natalia Drozdiak, Eric Martin, Courtney McBride, Erik Wasson and Steven T. Dennis. (Updates with details of Iranian response, additional background.) Luxury Counterfeiters Keep Outsmarting the Makers of $10,000 Handbags Is Mark Cuban the Loudmouth Billionaire that Democrats Need for 2028? Ken Griffin on Trump, Harvard and Why Novice Investors Won't Beat the Pros The US Has More Copper Than China But No Way to Refine All of It Can 'MAMUWT' Be to Musk What 'TACO' Is to Trump? ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
