Larry Hogan says he’s withdrawing from Harvard fellowships over ‘dangerous’ antisemitism on campus

Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan on Monday announced that he is withdrawing his offer to participate in Harvard’s fellowship programs over the antisemitism of student groups and the university’s failure to denounce the hatred on campus following Hamas’ terror attack on Israel earlier this month.

Hogan, a Republican, wrote on X that he was due to start fellowships at both the Kennedy School of Politics and the Chan School of Public Health at Harvard next month, but could no longer participate due to the overwhelming antisemitism on campus. 

“I cannot condone the dangerous anti-Semitism that has taken root on your campus, especially by more than 30 Harvard student organizations attempting to justify and celebrate Hamas’ terrorism against innocent Israeli and American civilians,” Hogan said in a statement posted on X.

Hours after Hamas launched its unprecedented terrorist attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 34 student organizations signed a statement issued by the Harvard Palestine Solidarity Groups that began by blaming the “Israeli regime” for “all unfolding violence.” 

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Harvard has since faced mounting criticism over its lack of immediate response, which has included top law firms pulling job offers from students who are part of these student organizations and prominent donors ending their relationships with the university. 

Harvard president Claudine Gay initially released a five-sentence message days after the attack, stating that she condemns Hamas’ attacks, but she did not explicitly denounce the student groups’ controversial opinion.

Following further criticism, Gay released a video message two days later, saying that though the university does not “punish or sanction” people for expressing polarizing views, it does not mean that it endorses them.

Hogan called the Harvard leadership’s failure to “immediately and forcefully denounce” the student vitriol as “a moral stain” on the university.

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“While these students have a right to free speech, they do not have the right to have hate speech go unchallenged by your institution,” Hogan said.

“The lessons of history are clear: we must all do our part to take a clear stand in the face of genocidal acts against the Jewish people or any group,” Hogan continued. “There is no ‘both sides’ when it comes to the murder, rape, and kidnapping of innocent women and children.”

More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, mostly civilians who died in the initial Hamas rampage into southern Israel. In addition, 222 people, including foreigners, are believed to have been captured by Hamas during the incursion and taken back to Gaza.

Fox News’ Elizabeth Pritchett and The Associated Press contributed to this report.