Donald Trump has long been critical of America’s elite academic institutions, and it’s clear that Barack Obama shares few, if any, views with him on this matter.

Despite a brief, friendly interaction at Jimmy Carter’s memorial service, Obama and Trump remain divided, especially when it comes to their perspectives on academia.

Speaking at Hamilton College, Obama didn’t hold back in addressing his differences with his successor, stating, “I have deep differences of opinion with my most immediate successor — who’s now president once again.”

The conflict escalated when the Trump administration withheld $2.3 billion in federal funding from Harvard University after the school refused to meet Trump’s demands.

These included dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, limiting the power of faculty, and enforcing merit-based policies. The White House claimed that these steps were necessary to address antisemitism on campus.

Harvard, however, stood its ground, with President Alan Garber declaring that the university would not give up its independence or rights.

Obama has now publicly supported Harvard’s stance, calling it a model for other institutions to follow in defending academic freedom.

He criticized the Trump administration’s attempts to stifle intellectual freedom and emphasized the importance of rigorous debate and mutual respect on campuses.

This ongoing clash between Harvard and the Trump administration has sparked national conversations about the role of higher education and who should have authority over what is taught and who is allowed to participate.

As the debate continues, the pressure is mounting for other institutions to take a stand.