Man faces court for 'serious' threats to prime minister
A man accused of threatening to cause "serious harm" to Australia's prime minister and making a "menacing" social media post about him has faced court.
Dale Byrne, 42, appeared at Dandenong Magistrates Court, in Melbourne's southeast, on Thursday after being charged with two commonwealth offences in March.
He is on bail and the court was told his conditions include that he cannot come within 100 metres of state or federal politicians, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Court documents revealed Byrne is charged with threatening "to cause serious harm to a Commonwealth Official, namely Australian Prime Minister, the Honourable Anthony Albanese" on February 7.
This charge, if proven, carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison, the documents say.
The second charge alleges Byrne used a carriage service "in a manner that a reasonable person would regard as menacing" when he made an X post "towards" the prime minister.
A commonwealth prosecutor asked for the media's application for access to charges to be decided at the next hearing "so the charges can be finalised once there's been discussions with defence".
"Because at the moment the charges are put in the alternative, and they haven't been settled yet," she told the court.
However, Magistrate Fran Medina approved their release under the Opens Courts Act and noted the charges were only allegations at this stage.
She asked media to state the two offences were the "subject of negotiation".
READ MORE: Federal MPs face wave of security threats, harassment in concerning trend
The Australian Federal Police initially alleged the man was charged with making death threats and anti-Semitic comments to a commonwealth member of parliament.
"The AFP will allege the man used social media to contact a Commonwealth MP multiple times between 7 January, 2025, and 19 February, 2025, making death threats and anti-Semitic comments," it said at the time he was charged on March 18.
None of these details were aired during a brief hearing on Thursday morning, where upcoming dates were set to allow the parties time to negotiate.
Byrne's bail was extended and he will return to court on July 10.
AAP
A man accused of threatening to cause "serious harm" to Australia's prime minister and making a "menacing" social media post about him has faced court.
Dale Byrne, 42, appeared at Dandenong Magistrates Court, in Melbourne's southeast, on Thursday after being charged with two commonwealth offences in March.
He is on bail and the court was told his conditions include that he cannot come within 100 metres of state or federal politicians, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Court documents revealed Byrne is charged with threatening "to cause serious harm to a Commonwealth Official, namely Australian Prime Minister, the Honourable Anthony Albanese" on February 7.
This charge, if proven, carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison, the documents say.
The second charge alleges Byrne used a carriage service "in a manner that a reasonable person would regard as menacing" when he made an X post "towards" the prime minister.
A commonwealth prosecutor asked for the media's application for access to charges to be decided at the next hearing "so the charges can be finalised once there's been discussions with defence".
"Because at the moment the charges are put in the alternative, and they haven't been settled yet," she told the court.
However, Magistrate Fran Medina approved their release under the Opens Courts Act and noted the charges were only allegations at this stage.
She asked media to state the two offences were the "subject of negotiation".
READ MORE: Federal MPs face wave of security threats, harassment in concerning trend
The Australian Federal Police initially alleged the man was charged with making death threats and anti-Semitic comments to a commonwealth member of parliament.
"The AFP will allege the man used social media to contact a Commonwealth MP multiple times between 7 January, 2025, and 19 February, 2025, making death threats and anti-Semitic comments," it said at the time he was charged on March 18.
None of these details were aired during a brief hearing on Thursday morning, where upcoming dates were set to allow the parties time to negotiate.
Byrne's bail was extended and he will return to court on July 10.
AAP
A man accused of threatening to cause "serious harm" to Australia's prime minister and making a "menacing" social media post about him has faced court.
Dale Byrne, 42, appeared at Dandenong Magistrates Court, in Melbourne's southeast, on Thursday after being charged with two commonwealth offences in March.
He is on bail and the court was told his conditions include that he cannot come within 100 metres of state or federal politicians, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Court documents revealed Byrne is charged with threatening "to cause serious harm to a Commonwealth Official, namely Australian Prime Minister, the Honourable Anthony Albanese" on February 7.
This charge, if proven, carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison, the documents say.
The second charge alleges Byrne used a carriage service "in a manner that a reasonable person would regard as menacing" when he made an X post "towards" the prime minister.
A commonwealth prosecutor asked for the media's application for access to charges to be decided at the next hearing "so the charges can be finalised once there's been discussions with defence".
"Because at the moment the charges are put in the alternative, and they haven't been settled yet," she told the court.
However, Magistrate Fran Medina approved their release under the Opens Courts Act and noted the charges were only allegations at this stage.
She asked media to state the two offences were the "subject of negotiation".
READ MORE: Federal MPs face wave of security threats, harassment in concerning trend
The Australian Federal Police initially alleged the man was charged with making death threats and anti-Semitic comments to a commonwealth member of parliament.
"The AFP will allege the man used social media to contact a Commonwealth MP multiple times between 7 January, 2025, and 19 February, 2025, making death threats and anti-Semitic comments," it said at the time he was charged on March 18.
None of these details were aired during a brief hearing on Thursday morning, where upcoming dates were set to allow the parties time to negotiate.
Byrne's bail was extended and he will return to court on July 10.
AAP
A man accused of threatening to cause "serious harm" to Australia's prime minister and making a "menacing" social media post about him has faced court.
Dale Byrne, 42, appeared at Dandenong Magistrates Court, in Melbourne's southeast, on Thursday after being charged with two commonwealth offences in March.
He is on bail and the court was told his conditions include that he cannot come within 100 metres of state or federal politicians, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Court documents revealed Byrne is charged with threatening "to cause serious harm to a Commonwealth Official, namely Australian Prime Minister, the Honourable Anthony Albanese" on February 7.
This charge, if proven, carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison, the documents say.
The second charge alleges Byrne used a carriage service "in a manner that a reasonable person would regard as menacing" when he made an X post "towards" the prime minister.
A commonwealth prosecutor asked for the media's application for access to charges to be decided at the next hearing "so the charges can be finalised once there's been discussions with defence".
"Because at the moment the charges are put in the alternative, and they haven't been settled yet," she told the court.
However, Magistrate Fran Medina approved their release under the Opens Courts Act and noted the charges were only allegations at this stage.
She asked media to state the two offences were the "subject of negotiation".
READ MORE: Federal MPs face wave of security threats, harassment in concerning trend
The Australian Federal Police initially alleged the man was charged with making death threats and anti-Semitic comments to a commonwealth member of parliament.
"The AFP will allege the man used social media to contact a Commonwealth MP multiple times between 7 January, 2025, and 19 February, 2025, making death threats and anti-Semitic comments," it said at the time he was charged on March 18.
None of these details were aired during a brief hearing on Thursday morning, where upcoming dates were set to allow the parties time to negotiate.
Byrne's bail was extended and he will return to court on July 10.
AAP
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7NEWS
an hour ago
- 7NEWS
Victorian influencer Jordan van den Lamb, known as ‘Purple Pingers' sparks Aussie housing war
When a Victorian woman returned to her investment property in Melbourne's outer suburbs, she didn't expect to find squatters inside — or to learn that her home's address had been shared online by a Federal Senate candidate. The woman, who had been managing her late father's estate, reportedly arrived to find the locks changed, security cameras installed, and new heating fitted to the exterior. Police were called to force entry, where she discovered most of her father's belongings were missing, including sentimental items like antique furniture and family heirlooms. The damage left her about $70,000 out of pocket after her insurance claim was denied. The property had been vacant and was publicly shared by Jordan van den Lamb, known online as 'Purple Pingers', as part of his campaign encouraging people to identify and use unused homes for shelter. Mr van den Lamb has become a lightning rod in the national housing debate. But as his TikTok-fuelled activism escalates, so too do the consequences for homeowners, real estate agents, and authorities caught in the fallout. While some of his followers see occupying vacant properties as a form of protest, the legal reality is more complicated. A squatter is someone who enters and uses an abandoned or unoccupied property, often through unlocked access. While entering through an open door is not technically illegal, remaining after being asked to leave by the rightful owner constitutes trespassing, which is a criminal offence in all Australian states. The influencer rose to prominence online through his viral TikTok account and website Sh.t Rentals, where he publicly exposed unoccupied, poor-quality or overpriced rental properties. But his campaign has since evolved into something more confrontational. Mr van den Lamb said he shared the address of the Victorian property online in a bid to raise awareness and attract more submissions of vacant homes. 'Yes, that was shared by me,' he said. 'That property had been empty, off the top of my head, for like 17 years. We don't know whether the squatters moved in before or after I posted the address.' He said the situation was brought to his attention by a news organisation and confirmed, 'I had no interaction with her (the homeowner).' When asked about the impact on the Victorian woman, Mr van den Lamb told The Nightly he felt 'bad' but claimed there were bigger issues at play. 'I feel bad that her belongings were taken, especially if they had sentimental value,' he said. 'But we hear from people like this every day. We never hear from someone sleeping rough — and frankly, their voices matter more, because they're the ones who are dying.' How it works Mr van den Lamb said he personally ran the operation using a Google Form to collect submissions of empty homes and verify them through online tools. 'I call for submissions... ask people to submit an empty property, the address, how long they think it's been vacant... then I check Google Maps, street view, last sold, last rented, planning applications.' He added: 'Once someone reaches out via email, I might ask if they're alone — I prefer not to send solo people just for safety. I go through the list, send through what I know, and tell them to verify it themselves.' 'I only post very few online — just to get more submissions,' he said. 'Most properties are shared privately via email with those in need.' In one of his TikTok videos, Mr van den Lamb instructs viewers on how to detect long-term vacancies by searching real estate websites and analysing listing duration. But one real estate agent says Mr van den Lamb's actions have changed how some sellers think about signage and advertising. Victorian real estate agent manager Mark Vorstenbosch from BigginScott said, 'There's this idea that putting up a 'for sale' board might alert people that a home is empty, but I think not putting one up puts you in more danger, because you don't know when someone might turn up.' Loading TikTok Post Kelly Ryan, former chief executive officer of the Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV), described Mr van den Lamb's tactics as concerning. 'Encouraging people to squat in properties that aren't theirs isn't good social behaviour — it's not a good service to anybody,' she told The Nightly. Ms Ryan warned that the broader risk is a chilling effect on landlords and property providers. 'This kind of behaviour is counterproductive to tackling the housing crisis,' she said. 'If you discourage private property owners from staying in the market, you risk starving supply not just now, but five years down the track.' Ms Ryan also addressed common misconceptions about who owned investment properties. 'There's this idea that all property owners are wealthy. But the second biggest group of landlords in Australia are school teachers, often owning just one investment property. These are the people being affected.' According to Homes Victoria's Rental Report for December 2024, the number of new rental lettings, which is a key indicator of housing availability, declined statewide by 1.8 per cent in the December quarter compared to the same period the year before. Metropolitan Melbourne saw a 1.3 per cent drop, while regional Victoria experienced a sharper 4.1 per cent fall. The total number of active rental bonds held by the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority also declined by 3.6 per cent, a significant shift, given that bond volumes had averaged 1.0 per cent annual growth over the past five years. 'These early indicators suggest a contraction in the overall rental stock,' REIV noted at the time, 'reflecting a waning of investor confidence in the market.' Victoria Police declined to comment on specific incidents related to Mr van den Lamb's activism but said homelessness was 'not an offence'. 'Should an offence be detected, police will deal with that as per normal practice,' the spokesperson said. 'The priority for Victoria Police is to link people who are homeless or sleeping rough to the services available to them.' Police advised concerned property owners to report issues to their local council and referred inquiries about broader trends to the Crime Statistics Agency. Mark Donchi, manager of a Victorian homelessness program for St Mary's House of Welcome, said he doesn't encourage squatting but understands why it happens. He said his service has noticed a clear demographic shift, 'We're now seeing more families and single women coming to seek our services. The volume has definitely increased over the last five years.' Mr Donchi said that the increase is largely driven by a massive shortfall in affordable housing. 'And the process of getting into public housing is becoming longer and more complicated,' he said. However, Ms Ryan said for those on the receiving end of such activism, the consequences were anything but theoretical. If a squatter refuses to leave after being asked, the property owner must typically seek a possession order through legal channels — a process that can be lengthy and complex. Real estate agents say the process of removing unauthorised occupants from a property is far from straightforward, especially if the owner lives interstate. Mr Vorstenbosch said one of the problems was the lack of recourse for property owners if something happened to their homes. 'If the property owner is interstate, you can't even go through VCAT (Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal) anymore, you're redirected to the Magistrates Court, which can take up to six months. And that court isn't specialised in tenancy law, so mistakes happen.' But Mr van den Lamb argues that the real problem isn't scarcity, but distribution. 'At the last census, there were 30,000 people experiencing homelessness in Victoria. In metropolitan Melbourne alone, there are 100,000 empty homes... This isn't a supply issue. It's a distribution problem.' He also pushed back on criticism that his campaign might discourage landlords from renting out homes. 'These homes aren't being rented out,' he said. 'So that criticism doesn't really apply.' 'And if landlords are afraid to rent out homes that people could die in — then maybe that's a good thing, especially if we're talking about the substandard properties shown on Shit Rentals.' When asked whether he worked with homelessness services, he said there was 'informal collaboration' at times, but services were stretched. 'I think that would be unfortunately damaging to their reputations,' he said of formal partnerships, 'but I've spoken with many workers who have support and sympathy... and who've said there's literally nothing more they can do through their work.' Ms Ryan said for those on the receiving end of such activism, the consequences were anything but theoretical. 'As a society, we rely heavily on the private rental market,' Ms Ryan said. 'If we continue to make landlords feel vulnerable or vilified, we're only accelerating the very housing crisis we're trying to solve.'
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
EU-Aust free trade deal: a "middle finger to Trump"
There is appetite for the European Union and Australia to signal a "middle finger to Trump" by uniting on a long-awaited free trade deal but some in Brussels are tempering expectations of a quick turnaround. Trade talks kicked off in 2018 but Canberra walked away about 18 months ago over unsatisfactory market access for beef and lamb producers, and a reluctance to give up naming rights on products for geographical origin reasons, including feta, parmesan and prosecco. Fast forward to 2025 and US President Donald Trump's tariff antics have brought both parties back to the negotiating table. There was speculation of a quick conclusion with the Australian Financial Review reporting European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had flagged a trip to Australia for late July or early August in anticipation of signing a deal. This echoed the fact she had also been quick to flag an agreement while offering Anthony Albanese her congratulations on becoming prime minister via Twitter in 2022. But multiple EU spokespeople have declined to confirm the travel, telling AAP a Down Under trip is "not on the radar". Despite acknowledging renewed political will, various sources in Brussels are cautioning patience. "There is no rush," according to one inside the EU Commission. "I wouldn't even say the end of the year, I would say more next year." Jacob Funk Kirkegaard, a senior fellow with Brussels think-tank Bruegel, estimates it could take at least another six months to resolve outstanding issues on agricultural tariffs and quotas. "The broad contour of the deal is already negotiated," he told AAP. "They know where the skeletons are buried. It takes a political grand bargain to do it." He noted that if the EU makes concessions, it would likely encounter an angry backlash from French and Polish farmers, who also opposed the EU's deal last year with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. However tractor and manure street protests wouldn't be enough to block a deal with Canberra, he said. Amid Washington's shift to extreme trade protectionism, an EU-Australian free trade deal would send a strong message to the Trump administration, Kirkegaard said. "As two of America's traditional allies, if both the EU and Australia find themselves subject to US tariffs, what better way than to do a deal with each other," he said. "So perhaps both countries feel this political signal is kind of a middle finger to Trump as well." Back in Melbourne, Sicilian-born cheesemaker Giorgio Linguanti from That's Amore Cheese faces an anxious wait to find out whether he can continue to market his wares using generic terms like parmesan or mozzarella. Yet he is open to compromise. "We should call it Australian parmesan and Australian feta because Australian milk is the best in the world," he said. Canberra and Brussels announced on Wednesday separate negotiations on a defence pact to boost defence industry, cyber-security and counter-terrorism co-operation. But it would not have military deployment obligations. There is appetite for the European Union and Australia to signal a "middle finger to Trump" by uniting on a long-awaited free trade deal but some in Brussels are tempering expectations of a quick turnaround. Trade talks kicked off in 2018 but Canberra walked away about 18 months ago over unsatisfactory market access for beef and lamb producers, and a reluctance to give up naming rights on products for geographical origin reasons, including feta, parmesan and prosecco. Fast forward to 2025 and US President Donald Trump's tariff antics have brought both parties back to the negotiating table. There was speculation of a quick conclusion with the Australian Financial Review reporting European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had flagged a trip to Australia for late July or early August in anticipation of signing a deal. This echoed the fact she had also been quick to flag an agreement while offering Anthony Albanese her congratulations on becoming prime minister via Twitter in 2022. But multiple EU spokespeople have declined to confirm the travel, telling AAP a Down Under trip is "not on the radar". Despite acknowledging renewed political will, various sources in Brussels are cautioning patience. "There is no rush," according to one inside the EU Commission. "I wouldn't even say the end of the year, I would say more next year." Jacob Funk Kirkegaard, a senior fellow with Brussels think-tank Bruegel, estimates it could take at least another six months to resolve outstanding issues on agricultural tariffs and quotas. "The broad contour of the deal is already negotiated," he told AAP. "They know where the skeletons are buried. It takes a political grand bargain to do it." He noted that if the EU makes concessions, it would likely encounter an angry backlash from French and Polish farmers, who also opposed the EU's deal last year with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. However tractor and manure street protests wouldn't be enough to block a deal with Canberra, he said. Amid Washington's shift to extreme trade protectionism, an EU-Australian free trade deal would send a strong message to the Trump administration, Kirkegaard said. "As two of America's traditional allies, if both the EU and Australia find themselves subject to US tariffs, what better way than to do a deal with each other," he said. "So perhaps both countries feel this political signal is kind of a middle finger to Trump as well." Back in Melbourne, Sicilian-born cheesemaker Giorgio Linguanti from That's Amore Cheese faces an anxious wait to find out whether he can continue to market his wares using generic terms like parmesan or mozzarella. Yet he is open to compromise. "We should call it Australian parmesan and Australian feta because Australian milk is the best in the world," he said. Canberra and Brussels announced on Wednesday separate negotiations on a defence pact to boost defence industry, cyber-security and counter-terrorism co-operation. But it would not have military deployment obligations. There is appetite for the European Union and Australia to signal a "middle finger to Trump" by uniting on a long-awaited free trade deal but some in Brussels are tempering expectations of a quick turnaround. Trade talks kicked off in 2018 but Canberra walked away about 18 months ago over unsatisfactory market access for beef and lamb producers, and a reluctance to give up naming rights on products for geographical origin reasons, including feta, parmesan and prosecco. Fast forward to 2025 and US President Donald Trump's tariff antics have brought both parties back to the negotiating table. There was speculation of a quick conclusion with the Australian Financial Review reporting European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had flagged a trip to Australia for late July or early August in anticipation of signing a deal. This echoed the fact she had also been quick to flag an agreement while offering Anthony Albanese her congratulations on becoming prime minister via Twitter in 2022. But multiple EU spokespeople have declined to confirm the travel, telling AAP a Down Under trip is "not on the radar". Despite acknowledging renewed political will, various sources in Brussels are cautioning patience. "There is no rush," according to one inside the EU Commission. "I wouldn't even say the end of the year, I would say more next year." Jacob Funk Kirkegaard, a senior fellow with Brussels think-tank Bruegel, estimates it could take at least another six months to resolve outstanding issues on agricultural tariffs and quotas. "The broad contour of the deal is already negotiated," he told AAP. "They know where the skeletons are buried. It takes a political grand bargain to do it." He noted that if the EU makes concessions, it would likely encounter an angry backlash from French and Polish farmers, who also opposed the EU's deal last year with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. However tractor and manure street protests wouldn't be enough to block a deal with Canberra, he said. Amid Washington's shift to extreme trade protectionism, an EU-Australian free trade deal would send a strong message to the Trump administration, Kirkegaard said. "As two of America's traditional allies, if both the EU and Australia find themselves subject to US tariffs, what better way than to do a deal with each other," he said. "So perhaps both countries feel this political signal is kind of a middle finger to Trump as well." Back in Melbourne, Sicilian-born cheesemaker Giorgio Linguanti from That's Amore Cheese faces an anxious wait to find out whether he can continue to market his wares using generic terms like parmesan or mozzarella. Yet he is open to compromise. "We should call it Australian parmesan and Australian feta because Australian milk is the best in the world," he said. Canberra and Brussels announced on Wednesday separate negotiations on a defence pact to boost defence industry, cyber-security and counter-terrorism co-operation. But it would not have military deployment obligations. There is appetite for the European Union and Australia to signal a "middle finger to Trump" by uniting on a long-awaited free trade deal but some in Brussels are tempering expectations of a quick turnaround. Trade talks kicked off in 2018 but Canberra walked away about 18 months ago over unsatisfactory market access for beef and lamb producers, and a reluctance to give up naming rights on products for geographical origin reasons, including feta, parmesan and prosecco. Fast forward to 2025 and US President Donald Trump's tariff antics have brought both parties back to the negotiating table. There was speculation of a quick conclusion with the Australian Financial Review reporting European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had flagged a trip to Australia for late July or early August in anticipation of signing a deal. This echoed the fact she had also been quick to flag an agreement while offering Anthony Albanese her congratulations on becoming prime minister via Twitter in 2022. But multiple EU spokespeople have declined to confirm the travel, telling AAP a Down Under trip is "not on the radar". Despite acknowledging renewed political will, various sources in Brussels are cautioning patience. "There is no rush," according to one inside the EU Commission. "I wouldn't even say the end of the year, I would say more next year." Jacob Funk Kirkegaard, a senior fellow with Brussels think-tank Bruegel, estimates it could take at least another six months to resolve outstanding issues on agricultural tariffs and quotas. "The broad contour of the deal is already negotiated," he told AAP. "They know where the skeletons are buried. It takes a political grand bargain to do it." He noted that if the EU makes concessions, it would likely encounter an angry backlash from French and Polish farmers, who also opposed the EU's deal last year with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. However tractor and manure street protests wouldn't be enough to block a deal with Canberra, he said. Amid Washington's shift to extreme trade protectionism, an EU-Australian free trade deal would send a strong message to the Trump administration, Kirkegaard said. "As two of America's traditional allies, if both the EU and Australia find themselves subject to US tariffs, what better way than to do a deal with each other," he said. "So perhaps both countries feel this political signal is kind of a middle finger to Trump as well." Back in Melbourne, Sicilian-born cheesemaker Giorgio Linguanti from That's Amore Cheese faces an anxious wait to find out whether he can continue to market his wares using generic terms like parmesan or mozzarella. Yet he is open to compromise. "We should call it Australian parmesan and Australian feta because Australian milk is the best in the world," he said. Canberra and Brussels announced on Wednesday separate negotiations on a defence pact to boost defence industry, cyber-security and counter-terrorism co-operation. But it would not have military deployment obligations.
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Trump says possible Harvard deal 'good for the country'
US President Donald Trump appears to be softening in his campaign against Harvard, saying his administration could soon announce a 'deal' with the country's oldest and richest university. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump raised the prospect of a truce with the Ivy League school, which has sued after his administration terminated billions of dollars in grants awarded to Harvard and moved to bar the school from admitting international students. The Republican president's administration has said its actions against Harvard are justified based on a litany of allegations, including that the institution was not doing enough to combat anti-semitic harassment on campus. Trump said his administration is addressing "improprieties" at Harvard. He said individuals at Harvard "have acted extremely appropriately during negotiations, and appear to be committed to doing what is right." "If a Settlement is made on the basis that is currently being discussed, it will be 'mindbogglingly' HISTORIC, and very good for our Country," Trump wrote. He made the statement shortly after a federal judge in Boston issued an injunction blocking the US Department of Homeland Security from immediately revoking Harvard's ability to enrol international students. That injunction prevents the US Department of Homeland Security from revoking Harvard's certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program without first going through a months-long administrative process, which it now plans to do. Harvard had no immediate comment on Trump's post, but in a statement it welcomed US District Judge Allison Burroughs' order, adding it "will continue to defend its rights—and the rights of its students and scholars." Massachusetts-based Harvard has filed two lawsuits seeking to unfreeze around $2.5 billion in funding and to prevent the administration from blocking the ability of international students to attend the university. Harvard alleges that Trump has been retaliating against it, violating its free speech rights under the US Constitution's First Amendment, because it refused to accede to the administration's demands to control the school's governance, curriculum and the ideology of its faculty and students. Burroughs is expected to rule in the coming days on Harvard's related request that she continue blocking implementation of a proclamation Trump signed barring foreign nationals from entering the US to study at the university. International students comprise about a quarter of its student body. US President Donald Trump appears to be softening in his campaign against Harvard, saying his administration could soon announce a 'deal' with the country's oldest and richest university. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump raised the prospect of a truce with the Ivy League school, which has sued after his administration terminated billions of dollars in grants awarded to Harvard and moved to bar the school from admitting international students. The Republican president's administration has said its actions against Harvard are justified based on a litany of allegations, including that the institution was not doing enough to combat anti-semitic harassment on campus. Trump said his administration is addressing "improprieties" at Harvard. He said individuals at Harvard "have acted extremely appropriately during negotiations, and appear to be committed to doing what is right." "If a Settlement is made on the basis that is currently being discussed, it will be 'mindbogglingly' HISTORIC, and very good for our Country," Trump wrote. He made the statement shortly after a federal judge in Boston issued an injunction blocking the US Department of Homeland Security from immediately revoking Harvard's ability to enrol international students. That injunction prevents the US Department of Homeland Security from revoking Harvard's certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program without first going through a months-long administrative process, which it now plans to do. Harvard had no immediate comment on Trump's post, but in a statement it welcomed US District Judge Allison Burroughs' order, adding it "will continue to defend its rights—and the rights of its students and scholars." Massachusetts-based Harvard has filed two lawsuits seeking to unfreeze around $2.5 billion in funding and to prevent the administration from blocking the ability of international students to attend the university. Harvard alleges that Trump has been retaliating against it, violating its free speech rights under the US Constitution's First Amendment, because it refused to accede to the administration's demands to control the school's governance, curriculum and the ideology of its faculty and students. Burroughs is expected to rule in the coming days on Harvard's related request that she continue blocking implementation of a proclamation Trump signed barring foreign nationals from entering the US to study at the university. International students comprise about a quarter of its student body. US President Donald Trump appears to be softening in his campaign against Harvard, saying his administration could soon announce a 'deal' with the country's oldest and richest university. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump raised the prospect of a truce with the Ivy League school, which has sued after his administration terminated billions of dollars in grants awarded to Harvard and moved to bar the school from admitting international students. The Republican president's administration has said its actions against Harvard are justified based on a litany of allegations, including that the institution was not doing enough to combat anti-semitic harassment on campus. Trump said his administration is addressing "improprieties" at Harvard. He said individuals at Harvard "have acted extremely appropriately during negotiations, and appear to be committed to doing what is right." "If a Settlement is made on the basis that is currently being discussed, it will be 'mindbogglingly' HISTORIC, and very good for our Country," Trump wrote. He made the statement shortly after a federal judge in Boston issued an injunction blocking the US Department of Homeland Security from immediately revoking Harvard's ability to enrol international students. That injunction prevents the US Department of Homeland Security from revoking Harvard's certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program without first going through a months-long administrative process, which it now plans to do. Harvard had no immediate comment on Trump's post, but in a statement it welcomed US District Judge Allison Burroughs' order, adding it "will continue to defend its rights—and the rights of its students and scholars." Massachusetts-based Harvard has filed two lawsuits seeking to unfreeze around $2.5 billion in funding and to prevent the administration from blocking the ability of international students to attend the university. Harvard alleges that Trump has been retaliating against it, violating its free speech rights under the US Constitution's First Amendment, because it refused to accede to the administration's demands to control the school's governance, curriculum and the ideology of its faculty and students. Burroughs is expected to rule in the coming days on Harvard's related request that she continue blocking implementation of a proclamation Trump signed barring foreign nationals from entering the US to study at the university. International students comprise about a quarter of its student body. US President Donald Trump appears to be softening in his campaign against Harvard, saying his administration could soon announce a 'deal' with the country's oldest and richest university. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump raised the prospect of a truce with the Ivy League school, which has sued after his administration terminated billions of dollars in grants awarded to Harvard and moved to bar the school from admitting international students. The Republican president's administration has said its actions against Harvard are justified based on a litany of allegations, including that the institution was not doing enough to combat anti-semitic harassment on campus. Trump said his administration is addressing "improprieties" at Harvard. He said individuals at Harvard "have acted extremely appropriately during negotiations, and appear to be committed to doing what is right." "If a Settlement is made on the basis that is currently being discussed, it will be 'mindbogglingly' HISTORIC, and very good for our Country," Trump wrote. He made the statement shortly after a federal judge in Boston issued an injunction blocking the US Department of Homeland Security from immediately revoking Harvard's ability to enrol international students. That injunction prevents the US Department of Homeland Security from revoking Harvard's certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program without first going through a months-long administrative process, which it now plans to do. Harvard had no immediate comment on Trump's post, but in a statement it welcomed US District Judge Allison Burroughs' order, adding it "will continue to defend its rights—and the rights of its students and scholars." Massachusetts-based Harvard has filed two lawsuits seeking to unfreeze around $2.5 billion in funding and to prevent the administration from blocking the ability of international students to attend the university. Harvard alleges that Trump has been retaliating against it, violating its free speech rights under the US Constitution's First Amendment, because it refused to accede to the administration's demands to control the school's governance, curriculum and the ideology of its faculty and students. Burroughs is expected to rule in the coming days on Harvard's related request that she continue blocking implementation of a proclamation Trump signed barring foreign nationals from entering the US to study at the university. International students comprise about a quarter of its student body.
