Harvard Kennedy School Defends Kristof Lecture Amid Alumni Dispute
Harvard Kennedy School Dean Jeremy M. Weinstein has refused to revoke New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof’s invitation to deliver the Malcolm H. Wiener Lecture, citing free speech principles. The decision follows a dispute with the Harvard Jewish Alumni Alliance (HJAA), which objected to the honor due to Kristof’s May 2026 column on alleged sexual abuse of Palestinian detainees. Weinstein argued that withdrawing the invitation would undermine the school’s commitment to hosting controversial speakers, while HJAA contended that conferring an endowed lecture is an institutional judgment, not merely a platform for speech. The lecture is scheduled for Friday, with HJAA demanding a different format that allows direct questioning.
