The following is the transcript of an interview with Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, a Democrat, that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on April 20, 2025.
WEIJIA JIANG: We go now to Massachusetts, Democratic governor Maura Healey, who joins us this morning from just outside of Boston. Governor Healy, good morning to you.
GOV. MAURA HEALEY: Good morning Weijia. Happy Easter to you and to all out there listening.
WEIJIA JIANG: Happy Easter to you as well. I want to start with Harvard University, which is, of course, in your state and your alma mater. Last week, the Trump administration froze $2.2 billion in multi-year grants, $60 million in multi-year contracts to Harvard, and that’s after the university rejected some of the administration’s demands in order to keep that money flowing. We saw the impact was swift, everything from research to staffing. And I wonder, is the university going to be able to withstand this funding freeze?
GOV. HEALEY: Well, here’s what’s- here’s what’s happening on the ground as a result of those actions. And really, let’s go back six weeks when the first cuts were announced for NIH funding. Massachusetts, we’ve got a number of colleges and universities, research institutions. These are entities that actually have pioneered for decades. Cures to diseases, cancer, working right now on treatments for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and so much more. In addition, they’ve often been the ones that have been leading the research when it comes to our defense industry. I could go through the various sectors, but basically what Donald Trump is doing by cutting off this funding, a few things are happening. Research labs are shutting down, scientists and researchers are leading the United States and going to other countries to do their work. And essentially, Donald Trump is giving away intellectual assets. The other thing that’s happening real time right now, and it’s incredibly sad, Weijia, I was in a hospital here just the other week, and this is a Hospital Boston Children’s, where some of the sickest kids in the country go for care. And there have been cuts to Boston Children’s and other hospitals as a result of Donald Trump’s actions, because these are part of a teaching hospital system. These cuts to universities have significant ripple effects, because they result in people being laid off, scientists being laid off, doctors being laid off, clinical trials for things like cancer treatments have been shut down, and this is really bad. It’s bad for patients, it’s bad for science, and it’s really bad for American competitiveness. As Governor, I want Massachusetts soaring. I want America soaring. And what Donald Trump is doing is basically saying to China and other company- other countries, come to the United States, take- take our scientists, take our researchers and that, and that’s what’s happening, and it’s really it’s terrible, on top of what he’s done to the economy, and in just dismantling and wrecking the economy right now, I’m working hard every day to lower costs in my state, cut taxes, build more housing, and Donald Trump is just making life more expensive for all of us, making life harder for all of us, and by coming after colleges and universities Weijia, this is really going to have an impact on American competitiveness. There’s a reason this country has led the world, remember, and it’s because we’ve invested in science and innovation for decades.
WEIJIA JIANG: Has Harvard asked your state for any support?
GOV. HEALEY: There is no way a state can begin to make up for the cuts to federal funding, the cuts that Donald Trump has made to education, to health care, food for kids, heating assistance for seniors. He just cut off FEMA disaster relief for our states the other day, and as governor, I’m going to do everything I can to protect my residents, to protect our state, to protect our economy, but he makes it really difficult. I’ll give you an example, Weijia. I filed and signed the largest housing bill in history. I want to build more housing so that we can drive down costs. Donald Trump comes in with tariffs. Where do we get our lumber from? Canada. Where do we get other building materials from? Mexico. He’s just made everything more expensive and more difficult, and states will do the best they can. Governors like myself will do the best that we can, but there’s no way that states can begin to make up for, or course correct these failings by the President of the United States and his administration when it comes to managing the economy.
WEIJIA JIANG: President Trump is also calling for Harvard to lose its tax-exempt status, and CBS News has confirmed that the IRS is considering at least rescinding it. Are you aware of any evidence that the university has done anything to merit that?
GOV. HEALEY: Absolutely not. It’s outrageous, but it’s part of this continued playbook that Donald Trump has been using, which is to silence critics, right? First, he went after the law firms. Then he went after companies. Then he went after everyday Americans. Now he’s going after colleges and universities, using any and all tactics to try to shut them down, to silence them. That’s what Donald Trump is about. There’s no merit to any of this. And of course, it’s illegal. You can’t do that as President of the United States, and that will get tested in court. Of course, Donald Trump, right now is ignoring court orders, which is another issue, but there’s absolutely no basis. And you know what he is saying in doing that is he’s saying to every not for profit out there, not just colleges and universities, but think of all the organizations out there that are nonprofits in your community, right? Supporting your little league, supporting seniors, any number of organizations, tens of thousands across the United States, Donald Trump is saying, I can take that away from you right now, because I’m President and I have that power. He does not have that power. And there is no- not only is there no legal basis for what he is trying to do it doesn’t make any sense whatsoever.
WEIJIA JIANG: And Governor, I want to ask you about a Tufts student, Rumeysa Ozturk, who was detained in your state by plainclothes officers late last month. Right now, she’s being held at a detention facility in Louisiana and has not been charged with any crimes. Late on Friday, a judge ordered ICE to move her to Vermont by May 1, so she can attend the district court proceedings over her detention. Have you talked to her family or lawyers, and is there anything your state can do to support her right now?
GOV. HEALEY: Well, this is a very troubling matter, because this woman is a Fulbright Scholar. She’s getting her PhD in child development. She has no criminal record or history. It appears she was one of many signers of an op-ed in a college newspaper. The courts are already involved here, but it’s very concerning. It’s very concerning because there appears to be a total ignoring of due process, which is so foundational to our democracy and our rule of law in this country, and it also sends such a chill to students everywhere, including foreign students. Massachusetts is a place where we benefit from foreign students coming from all over the world to do research, to study and to start companies, in addition to winning Nobel Prizes. And this is really important, because when I- when I talk about Donald Trump’s failed America first agenda, we show this is what I’m talking about–
WEIJIA JIANG: — Governor, thank you so much–
GOV. MAURA HEALEY: — They’re not going to go to the United States. They’re going to go elsewhere–
WEIJIA JIANG: — Thank you so much there, I’m sorry we have to leave it there–
GOV. MAURA HEALEY: — We need to do better–
WEIJIA JIANG: — but I appreciate you so much this Sunday to share some of your time with us. Thank you, Governor. And we’ll be right back in a moment.
