As tensions heat up between the Trump administration and Harvard University—one of the most prestigious and oldest universities in the U.S.—President Donald Trump recently made a claim about Harvard’s math curriculum that just doesn’t hold water.

During a swearing-in ceremony at the White House, Trump criticized Harvard, saying the university is now offering “remedial mathematics” courses covering basics like “two plus two is four,” and questioned how students who supposedly struggle with such simple math could have even gotten into Harvard in the first place.

Let’s break down what’s really going on.

The Claim:

“Harvard announced two weeks ago that they’re going to teach remedial mathematics, remedial, meaning they’re going to teach low grade mathematics like two plus two is four. How did these people get into Harvard? If they can’t, if they can’t do basic mathematics, how did they do it?”

The Facts:

Simply put, Harvard does not offer any remedial math class that teaches basic arithmetic like addition or subtraction. What Trump seems to be referring to is a new course format called Mathematics MA5, which launched in fall 2024—not a remedial course, but an enhanced version of Harvard’s introductory freshman calculus class.

James Chisholm, spokesperson for Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences, clarified, “Harvard College does not offer any so-called remedial math classes. Math MA5 is a college-level calculus course. It’s just a new format of Math MA, the introductory calculus course that has been taught at Harvard for decades.”

The main difference? MA5 meets five days a week instead of three, providing extra support. However, the homework, exams, and grading for both courses are exactly the same. Both classes serve as prerequisites for more advanced math studies.

Why the Extra Support?

According to Harvard’s Director of Introductory Math, Brendan Kelly, the MA5 course was designed to help students who may have lost some foundational algebra skills due to the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The extra sessions focus on reinforcing algebra, geometry, and quantitative reasoning skills, rather than teaching elementary arithmetic.

What About Harvard Extension School?

Some confusion may come from Harvard Extension School, a separate program aimed at adult learners and continuing education students. This school offers precalculus and other courses, but it is completely separate from Harvard College—the undergraduate program with highly competitive admissions.

James Chisholm emphasized, “Harvard Extension School is 100% distinct from Harvard College and the two have nothing to do with each other in terms of curriculum or students.”

Supporting Students with Additional Needs

Harvard also runs programs like the Rising Scholars Program and Emerging Scholars Program, which provide extra academic support to select incoming and current students who come from high schools with limited advanced coursework opportunities. These programs aim to address long-standing inequalities in K-12 math and science education and are not about teaching basic arithmetic to students who can’t do math.

The Reality of Harvard Admissions

Let’s put this in perspective: the median math SAT score for Harvard’s most recent entering class was an impressive 790 out of 800. The average ACT math score was 35 out of 36, with a median high school GPA of 4.2.

Brian Taylor of Ivy Coach, a college counseling service, sums it up best: “There is no university in America as difficult to get into as Harvard—no matter your background. President Trump’s math here simply doesn’t add up.”

Bottom Line

While Harvard continues to provide support to ensure all students are ready for rigorous college-level math, it does not teach remedial arithmetic to undergraduates. The claim that Harvard is offering “low grade” math like basic addition is not just inaccurate—it’s misleading.

Source: AP News – FACT FOCUS: Trump’s claims about remedial math at Harvard don’t add up

The post The Truth Behind Harvard’s Math Courses and Trump’s Misleading Statement appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.

As the Supreme Court prepared to hear arguments on whether to allow President Donald Trump’s restrictions on birthright citizenship to take effect, he made a striking claim on Truth Social: that the United States is the only country in the world that grants citizenship simply by being born on its soil.

This claim is false.

Back on January 20, the first day of his second term, Trump signed an executive order aimed at denying citizenship to children born in the U.S. to parents who are here illegally or only temporarily. However, lower courts quickly blocked this order nationwide, and the administration is now appealing these decisions, challenging the authority of judges to issue such broad injunctions. Importantly, the Supreme Court has not yet ruled on whether the executive order itself is constitutional.

Let’s break down the facts.

Trump’s Claim vs. Reality

On Truth Social, Trump said:
“The United States of America is the only Country in the World that does this, for what reason, nobody knows.”

But the truth is quite different.

According to the CIA World Factbook and the Library of Congress, about 30 countries worldwide offer unconditional birthright citizenship, including Canada, Mexico, and many nations in Africa and Asia. The U.S. is far from unique in this regard.

“The statement is pretty obviously wrong,” says Ilya Somin, a law professor at George Mason University and expert on constitutional law and migration rights. “Many countries have birthright citizenship, though in some of them the rules differ from those in the U.S.”

What Is Birthright Citizenship?

Birthright citizenship is based on the principle of jus soli — Latin for “right of the soil.” It means that anyone born within a country’s borders automatically gains citizenship, regardless of their parents’ immigration status.

This contrasts with jus sanguinis, or “right of blood,” where citizenship depends on the nationality of one’s parents or ancestors.

In the U.S., birthright citizenship is nearly unconditional. Children born on American soil are citizens, except for two narrow exceptions: children of foreign diplomats and children of enemy soldiers occupying the country during wartime. Historically, Native Americans were excluded until the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924.

A Historical Foundation

Birthright citizenship was enshrined in the U.S. Constitution after the Civil War to guarantee citizenship for formerly enslaved people. The 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, states:

“All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”

This Citizenship Clause overturned the infamous 1857 Dred Scott decision, which held that Black people — enslaved or free — could not be citizens. It was a monumental shift in American history, affirming citizenship rights regardless of race or parentage (with the limited exceptions noted).

Trump’s Executive Order Faces Legal Hurdles

Trump’s executive order attempts to restrict birthright citizenship in a way that conflicts with longstanding Supreme Court precedent, notably a decision from 1898 that confirmed the Citizenship Clause grants citizenship to all born on U.S. soil except in very specific, rare cases.

Currently, the Supreme Court is considering this case alongside other immigration-related appeals brought by the Trump administration.

What This Means

The U.S. is not unique in offering birthright citizenship — many countries around the world have similar policies. The ongoing legal battle will determine whether Trump’s effort to limit this constitutional right can move forward, but the claim that the U.S. stands alone on this issue is simply wrong.

As the debate unfolds, understanding the history and facts behind birthright citizenship helps cut through the political rhetoric and misinformation.

Source: AP News – FACT FOCUS: Trump claims the US is the only country with birthright citizenship. It’s not

The post Trump’s Claim That Only the U.S. Has Birthright Citizenship Is False appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.