After Harvard, Liberal Donors and Groups Fear New Scrutiny From Trump

The close-knit world of liberal donors and the nonprofit groups they support has spent the last week in a state of fear and anxiety, worried that any day now, President Trump could go after their assets or their tax-exempt status.

But it all seemed purely speculative — until Wednesday.

That is when The New York Times and other news outlets reported that the Trump administration was potentially seeking to pull Harvard’s tax-exempt status, in an apparent act of retaliation for the university’s refusal to bow to a long list of demands.

For left-leaning megadonors, philanthropists, nonprofit groups and foundations, the threat suddenly became far more real.

Ever since Mr. Trump won back power in November, these donors have been sweating that a president dead-set on retribution would go after them in personal ways. And so while some of these donors and their allied groups have cozied up to the Trump administration, more of them have worked diligently to lie low, de-emphasizing viewpoints that could attract scrutiny, such as on diversity, equity and inclusion.

“The fear is real,” said Tim Lim, a progressive fund-raiser who said he had held several conversations in the last 24 hours with worried leaders of such groups. “If the Trump administration is successful in removing Harvard’s tax-exempt status, then they could use this same blueprint against every progressive nonprofit.”

The White House did not respond to a request for comment on Thursday on whether a broader list of progressive groups might soon be targeted. Railing against Harvard on social media, Mr. Trump has said that “Tax Exempt Status is totally contingent on acting in the PUBLIC INTEREST!” — language that could presage broader action.