Brown University has taken the unprecedented step of revoking an honorary degree awarded to former US President Donald Trump, following mounting pressure from faculty members. The prestigious Ivy League institution announced the decision after a contentious debate over Trump's divisive political legacy.
A Rare Academic Rebuke
The revocation makes Brown only the fourth university in its 259-year history to withdraw such an honour. University officials stated the decision reflects their commitment to "values of equality, justice and academic integrity" that they believe Trump's presidency undermined.
Faculty Pressure Forces Action
Over 120 Brown professors had signed petitions demanding the degree's revocation, arguing Trump's behaviour during and after his presidency violated the university's core principles. "This wasn't about politics - it was about basic human decency," explained one senior faculty member who led the campaign.
Historical Context
Brown has previously revoked honorary degrees only three times:
- 1940: From a Nazi diplomat
- 1985: From a Liberian dictator
- 2004: From a disgraced financier
The university maintains strict criteria for such actions, typically requiring evidence of "egregious conduct that fundamentally conflicts with Brown's values".
Political Reactions
Conservative groups have condemned the move as "academic cancel culture", while progressive organisations praised it as "a stand for democratic values". The decision comes as US universities increasingly grapple with how to address polarising political figures in their institutional histories.
Brown's president emphasised this was not a political statement, but rather "an affirmation of our university's fundamental principles". The revoked degree had been awarded in 1989 for Trump's (then) work in New York real estate development.
