CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS — Conan O'Brien delivered the commencement address at Harvard University on May 28, 2026, using the platform to critique the Trump administration’s policies toward the university and what he described as a broader erosion of compassion in American public life. The comedian and television host, a 1985 Harvard graduate and former editor of The Harvard Lampoon, addressed a ceremony marked by ongoing tensions between the federal government and the university.

The Trump administration had sued Harvard in March 2026 over allegations that its leadership failed to address antisemitism on campus and attempted to block the university from hosting international students. In response, O'Brien wove political commentary into his speech, saying, “As you are aware, the current administration feels Harvard admits too many foreign students.” He added sarcastically, “And who knows, maybe they may have a point. After all, what has any foreigner ever added to our American culture, with the possible exception of music, literature, art, cuisine, fashion, architecture, dance, scientific breakthroughs and the core of our moral codes and ethical beliefs?” Mixing humor with pointed critique, O'Brien joked about “Justice Department spies” being in attendance and quipped that he was suing Harvard over “uncomfortable dorm furniture and my ‘less-than-spectacular undergraduate sex life.’” He expressed confidence in his mock legal claim, saying, “I’m confident that my claims will have more merit than those filed by the President of the United States.”

O'Brien also criticized the administration’s stance on empathy, quoting directly: “Our current leadership in Washington believes that empathy is a weakness.” He referenced federal actions against Harvard, including more than $2.6 billion in research funding cuts and terminated contracts, which a judge later ruled were illegal and ordered reversed. Harvard had argued it was being penalized for refusing to adopt the administration’s views.

Student speaker Andrew O’Donohue, who completed a doctorate studying democratic institutions, warned that political interference threatens academic freedom: “When students self-censor, when professors fear being punished, when scientists worry that research funding is allocated based on politics, our universities will not produce the next great artist, doctor, scientist, educator, lawyer, entrepreneur, public servant, or innovator.” His federal research funding had been eliminated by Trump administration cuts before Harvard stepped in. White House spokesperson Davis Ingle dismissed O'Brien’s remarks, saying, “Nobody in their right mind cares what woke celebrities in Hollywood say or think.”