Conan O’Brien’s 28 May Commencement Speech at Harvard Highlights Politics Amid Trump Tensions

On May 28 2026, Harvard University’s graduating class heard their alumni and television host,
comedian Conan O’Brien, deliver a commencement address that combined his trademark wit with incisive social commentary.

O’Brien, who graduated in 1985 and once helmed the Harvard Lampoon humor magazine, opened with a nod to the school’s storied legacy: he wryly referred to Harvard as producing "more Nobel laureates or white‑collar criminals" than any other institution in the country. He urged graduates to remember that whatever path they choose—“good or evil”—they are part of an elite lineage.

The speech was framed against a backdrop of pushback from the then‑Trump administration. Harvard had been sued in March for alleged antisemitic incidents on campus, and the administration had threatened to cut funding in a move described as punitive. O’Brien referenced the lawsuit and the administration’s public posture, stating that their view of empathy is a weakness. He also defended international students, who faced new barriers in a climate the administration sought to restrict.

O’Brien took a playful jab at the administration by joking about “Justice Department spies” in the audience, and later humorously claimed that he too was suing the university for uncomfortable dorm furniture and a “less‑than‑spectacular” undergraduate sex life. He pushed back on the administration’s lawsuits, noting his own claims had "more merit" than those filed by President Trump.

The context of the speech was also politically charged. Student speaker Andrew O’Donohue, a doctoral candidate in democratic institutions, highlighted the tangible effects of federal funding cuts on research. He recounted how his work—showing the importance of judicial independence—had been nearly defunded by a Trump‑era policy before Harvard stepped in to provide support.

Previously, Harvard’s commencement ceremonies had grown increasingly political. Last year the campus celebrated speakers who defended diversity and international students, while the year before, graduates walked out in protest of the Gaza war. This year, grad‑worker strikes and pro‑Palestinian demonstrations added a layer of activism to the bowl of tradition.

Despite the political undertones, O’Brien’s message carried an invitation for graduates to let Harvard be a footnote rather than the defining feature of their identity. He urged the class to focus on the broader impact they can have beyond their alma mater, stating his wish was that Harvard become “the least important thing people know about you.”

In closing, O’Brien’s address balanced sharp humor with thoughtful reflection, providing a snapshot of a historically significant moment when a famed alumnus used his own platform to comment on both the prestige of an Ivy League university and the challenges of navigating contemporary politics.