Billionaire investor Bill Ackman is again taking aim at Harvard University — this time demanding the removal of Penny Pritzker, a former Obama official and leading Democratic donor, from the school’s top leadership over its handling of a high-stakes conflict with President Donald Trump.
Ackman, a Harvard College and Harvard Business School alumnus who went on to found the hedge fund Pershing Square Capital Management, told CNBC on Monday the university should have negotiated with the Trump administration rather than filing a lawsuit over its threatened loss of federal funding.
He specifically blamed Pritzker, who is currently senior fellow at Harvard Corporation, calling her stewardship of the university’s finances and broader mission a failure.
“The mismanagement here is Penny Pritzker,” Ackman said. “It’s time for a change in leadership in the board at Harvard.”
Harvard sued the federal government last month, accusing it of unlawfully suspending more than $2 billion in funding after the university declined to comply with a series of demands that the Trump administration says were aimed at curbing antisemitism on campus.
The lawsuit argued that the government’s requests — related to diversity initiatives, faculty hiring, student discipline, and governance structures — were unconstitutional and amounted to political interference in academic freedom.
Ackman, however, suggested Harvard’s response was combative and counterproductive.
“They should have acknowledged that Trump made some good points,” he said. “And looked to strike a deal with the president.”
Ackman said it would be “fair” for Harvard to lose its tax-exempt status, citing the university’s perceived political bias. “Harvard became, over time, a political advocacy organization for one party,” he said.
“When a university goes from being a university to becoming a political advocacy organization, it doesn’t deserve nonprofit status.”
Despite that criticism, Ackman added, “I want Harvard to succeed,” and said he does not ultimately believe the school will lose its tax exemption.
The comments mark the latest escalation in a bitter and ongoing feud between Ackman and the university he once proudly supported.
His public criticism of Harvard began in October 2023 following the Hamas attack on Israel, when the school faced national scrutiny over how it responded to pro-Palestinian student protests. Ackman, who is Jewish, accused the university of moral cowardice and called for accountability from its leadership.
He later advocated for the resignation of then-Harvard President Claudine Gay, who ultimately stepped down in January 2024.
Now, Ackman’s attention has turned to Pritzker, who has served as senior fellow of the Harvard Corporation since July 2022 — the first woman to hold the powerful post.
A billionaire heiress to the Hyatt hotel fortune and a longtime Democratic donor, Pritzker is also the sister of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker.
She has deep ties to the university, having served on the Board of Overseers before joining the corporation in 2018.
As senior fellow, Pritzker oversees the corporation’s key responsibilities, including managing Harvard’s endowment, guiding long-term strategy and leading presidential search efforts.
She played a central role in the appointment of Gay and has remained in her position despite calls for a broader leadership overhaul in the wake of her resignation.
The Pritzker family, a prominent Jewish dynasty with ancestral roots in Ukraine, has long been involved in both business and philanthropy.
Penny Pritzker served as US secretary of commerce under Barack Obama and was appointed in 2023 by Joe Biden as economic envoy to Ukraine.
While the university has not commented publicly on Ackman’s latest remarks, Harvard’s legal filing last month stated that the government’s actions posed a serious threat to academic freedom and the autonomy of higher education institutions.
The case has become a flashpoint in a broader national debate over political influence on university governance, diversity programs and free speech on campus.
Ackman has become an increasingly vocal figure in debates over higher education and corporate governance.
His high-profile clashes with Harvard have polarized alumni and donors, with some rallying to his side and others accusing him of undermining institutional independence.
The Post has sought comment from Harvard.
