Cornell W. Brooks (’87) claims Trump is ‘threat to democracy’
The following is an excerpt from the Campus Reform article by Emma Arns, “Harvard prof says Trump seeks to ‘divide and conquer’ the U.S.,” published on June 19, 2025. Click here to read the full article.
A Harvard professor claims President Trump’s directives on anti-Semitism and DEI constitute a ‘threat to democracy’
Cornell William Brooks (’87), a Harvard University professor and former NAACP president, accused President Donald Trump of using federal policy to “divide and conquer” Americans by targeting Ivy League schools, including Harvard. 
The social justice professor criticized Trump’s push to defund institutions that fail to comply with federal directives on campus anti-Semitism, DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) reporting, and visa transparency. Brooks claimed these actions are not about public safety or anti-Semitism, but instead part of what he called an “anti-American” effort to “limit the participation of black and brown students” from around the world.
“Here’s what happens,” Brooks said. “You divide the country, you make it less competitive, you pit people against one another.”