A Harvard University professor shocked MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace on Friday when he disclosed his advice to a student considering graduate studies at the Ivy League school amidst attacks by the Trump administration.
“‘Well, you should look overseas,’ I never thought I’d say that,” revealed Dr. Jeremy Faust, an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School.
“Wow,” Wallace responded.
“But I did suggest that they should consider that,” Faust added.
“I’m not implying that everyone should, but I never imagined I would advise someone to do that, but that’s the extent of our uncertainties.”
Faust’s comments came on the same day a federal judge blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to prevent foreign students from enrolling.
The administration’s actions escalated its conflict with Harvard, which also faced President Donald Trump’s proposal to revoke the university’s tax-exempt status.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Bloomberg Television on Friday that the administration is “moving forward” with these efforts.
Last month, Harvard stood firm against Trump’s funding demands related to combating antisemitism, transgender rights, diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
This led to the administration withholding billions in federal funding from Harvard, raising concerns about the impact on ongoing research and prompting a lawsuit from the university.
Earlier on MSNBC, Faust emphasized the significance of the international science community and the value of scientific research, citing the collaboration between biochemist Katalin Karikó and immunologist Drew Weissman that led to effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19, earning them a Nobel Prize in 2023.
“We want those individuals to come to Harvard and every other university,” Faust asserted.
He also referenced recent news of a baby in Pennsylvania receiving genome-editing therapy for a rare genetic disorder, connecting it to the work of biochemist Jennifer Doudna and scientist Emmanuelle Charpentier, who won a Nobel Prize in 2020 for genome editing advancements.
“Now we’re hearing that scientists are hesitant to come to the U.S., even for conferences,” Faust lamented.
“The chilling effect here is truly massive,” Faust concluded.
