Harvard Commencement O'Brien

Comedian Conan O'Brien, center, greets people while walking in a procession through Harvard Yard, before delivering a commencement address during Harvard University commencement exercises on the school's campus, Thursday, May 28, 2026, in Cambridge, Mass.

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Conan O’Brien speaks at Harvard commencement as Trump tightens pressure on the school

Conan O’Brien speaks at Harvard commencement as Trump tightens pressure on the school

Harvard graduates heard from comedian and television host Conan O’Brien at their commencement. The appearance Thursday of O'Brien, a Harvard alum, came during one of the most fraught periods in the Ivy League school's recent history, as it faces mounting legal and financial pressure from President Donald Trump. The administration sued Harvard in March, accusing its leadership of failing to address antisemitism on campus and creating grounds for the government to freeze existing grants and seek repayment for grants already paid. That came months after a judge sided with Harvard in another lawsuit and ordered the administration to reverse billions of dollars in cuts.