Victoria's Secret founder Les Wexner pulls out Harvard's funding, citing school for failing to take a stand with Israel

The founder of Victoria’s Secret and billionaire retailer, Leslie Wexner, has cut off funding to Harvard, one of the elite schools that have faced criticism for their response to the Hamas attacks on Israel last week.

The Wexner Foundation, the Jewish leadership philanthropy established by the retailer, posted on X, that it has ended its relationship with Harvard, saying the university’s leaders failed to take a clear moral stand against terrorism and anti-Semitism. The decision follows the calls from investors, CEOs, and donors for Ivy League schools to show more support for Israel and denounce anti-Jewish hatred.

The statement, bearing the signatures of Leslie and Abigail Wexner, alongside Wexner Foundation President Rabbi B. Elka Abrahamson and Director General for Israel, Ra’anan Avital, expressed, “Harvard’s leaders were indeed tiptoeing, equivocating.”

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“We have determined that the Harvard Kennedy School and The Wexner Foundation are no longer compatible partners. Our core values and those of Harvard no longer align,” the statement said.

The statement also indicated that the Kennedy School of Government’s openness to diverse perspectives had declined “slowly but perceptibly” in recent years, and that Wexner fellows experienced being “shouted down” for their “voices and views.”

“Many of our Israel Fellows no longer feel marginalized at HKS. They feel abandoned.”

The foundation supports a fellowship for government and public service professionals from Israel who pursue a one-year degree from the Harvard Kennedy School.

A spokesperson for the Harvard Kennedy School referred Insider to statements issued by both Harvard President Claudine Gay and Dean Doug Elmendorf last week in which the university “made clear our rejection of the terrorist atrocities perpetrated by Hamas.”

“Out university rejects terrorism — that includes the barbaric atrocities perpetrated by Hamas,” Gay wrote.

Elmendorf also denounced the attacks in his Friday statement, expressing his concern, "I am very concerned about the threats, vitriol, doxxing, and other menacing actions directed at members of our community," while noting that these actions were primarily originating from individuals outside of Harvard.

“We are grateful to the Wexner Foundation for its very longstanding support of student scholarships,” a Kennedy School spokesperson said.

Wexner amassed his wealth by establishing companies such as Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works. The Wexner Foundation, founded in 1983 with the mission of "strengthening leadership for the Jewish people," as stated on the foundation's website.

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The mogul stepped down from the leadership at the retail brands following revelations that he was “close personal friends” with Jeffrey Epstein, who was convicted of sexual assault.

The announcement made on Monday marks the conclusion of a partnership that spanned over three decades, offering management and leadership training to Israeli government personnel at the prestigious Ivy League public affairs school.

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