Report: Rubio pressurized Harvard to investigate sanctions
US Secretary Marco Rubio is emphasizing to investigate whether Harvard University has violated federal sanctions by collaborating at a health insurance conference in China, which can include blacklisted officials by the US government, according to people familiar with the cases and documents seen by NYT.Rubio last month signed a recommendation to the Treasury Department for an inquiry, which was an unusual effort to target a domestic unit for banning an inquiry from a cabinet secretary, which experts and former Treasury officials said. Whether the agency within the Treasury handles the restrictions, the Foreign Property Control Office, opened an inquiry in response, it was not clear – but such a step exposed Harvard to the significant legal risks. President Trump has demanded for months to implement his political agenda on Harvard. The effort initially mainly depended on the allegations that university officials did not enough to address the anti-Jewishism on the campus. In recent weeks, however, focus on other issues, including allegations about Harvard’s foreign relations, especially for China. A spokesperson of the Treasury Department refused to comment. A spokesperson of the State Department also refused to comment. A Harvard spokesperson refused to comment.
