A Pennsylvania college has rescinded an honorary degree it gave to President Donald Trump three decades ago in the wake of Wednesday’s riot at the US Capitol by his supporters.
Lehigh University had given Trump the sheepskin in 1988, after he spoke at the school’s commencement ceremony.
An official statement did not specify the grounds for revoking the honor, though some faculty and staff had long called for Trump to be stripped of the degree.
“In a special session Thursday of the Executive Committee of the Lehigh University Board of Trustees, the members voted to rescind and revoke the honorary degree granted to Donald J. Trump in 1988,” the statement read. “The full Board of Trustees affirmed the decision today.”
Jeremy Littau, a journalism professor at the school, lauded the decision — but said it should have come long ago.
“Folks, this is a big deal as far as our community is concerned,” he said. “After FIVE years of pressure from our faculty, staff, students and alumni, the Lehigh Board of Trustees finally did the right thing and revoked Donald Trump’s honorary degree.”