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PoliticalChina·3 Sept 2026 · 4d ago

US Transport Secretary Sean Duffy criticizes Harvard University

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US Transport Secretary Sean Duffy, sworn in on January 29, 2025, appeared in a government-sponsored road trip video series alongside his family where he discouraged his daughter, Paloma, from attending Harvard University. Duffy stated that the institution risked corrupting the minds of "good young girls," framing the university as a symbol of ideological bias. The exchange occurred during a tour of potential colleges, highlighting a shift in American politics where the boundaries between public office and personal messaging have blurred.

Consequences

The politicization of educational choices in high-level government content reinforces perceptions that American higher education has become increasingly uncertain and polarized. For overseas students, this atmosphere creates the impression that elite US institutions are more politically contentious and difficult to access.

Sources

SCMP
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