Over the past few weeks, some of the most prestigious universities in the country have faced a threat to their very existence.

President Trump has frozen billions of dollars in federal funds in an attempt to rid higher education of what he calls its woke ideology.

Rachel Abrams speaks to the president of Princeton University, Christopher L. Eisgruber, who has vowed to fight.

Guest: Christopher L. Eisgruber, the president of Princeton University.

Background reading: 

• President Trump paused dozens of federal grants to Princeton.
• Mr. Trump’s orders threaten the financial foundations of higher education, but few universities have protested openly.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

Photo: Christopher Goodney/Bloomburg

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