Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) disavowed his alma mater, Harvard University while receiving an award at Yeshiva University’s commencement ceremony on Wednesday, reported JTA.
Speaking on stage after receiving the Presidential Medallion, which YU says is its most prestigious award for global leadership, Fetterman said the last time he attended a graduation ceremony was his own at Harvard, 25 years ago.
At the mention of Harvard, the crowd hissed — and Fetterman responded.
“I have been profoundly disappointed,” he said, mentioning “Harvard’s inability to stand up for the Jewish community after October 7.”
He then removed a red stole from his shoulders, from Harvard’s traditional graduation robes and said to applause, “I do not fundamentally believe that it’s right for me to wear this today.”
Harvard University has come under fire over its handling of antisemitism on campus, which has been on the rise since the start of Israel’s war against Hamas.
In the days after Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel, a coalition of 34 Harvard student organizations released a statement in which they blamed Israel for Hamas’ attack.
Later, then-Harvard President Claudine Gay came under fire after she, along with MIT President Sally Kornbluth and University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill, testified before a congressional hearing on the issue of antisemitism on college campuses.
All three university presidents gave similar answers to Rep. Elise Stefanik in which they failed to unequivocally condemn antisemitism or even calls for genocide against Jews. Gay eventually resigned as President of Harvard.
Fetterman has been one of the most outspoken supporters of Israel since October 7. He put up posters of the Israelis who were abducted by Hamas in his front office and said that those photos will stay up until every single person is safely returned home.
When anti-Israel protesters showed up outside Fetterman's office, chanting accusations of genocide, he responded by waving an Israeli flag from the roof of the building.
More recently, the Senator posted a video on social media in which he vowed to keep bringing up the issue of the hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza until they return home.