Cabinet of the United States

Once there's a lie and it's spread, it doesn't matter that it's a lie. Once people hear it, then they believe that it's true despite all of the Herculean efforts to disprove it and debunk it.— Dr. Karen Pierce, discussing the impact of misinformation about vaccines and autism.

With a $53.2 billion endowment, Harvard can fund its own chaos - DHS won't.— Kristi Noem, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, in a statement regarding the termination of grants to Harvard.

"My husband is not a criminal. My husband is an amazing person. An amazing father."— Jennifer Vasquez about Kilmar Abrego Garcia in an interview with CBS News.

"The university will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights."— Dr. Alan M. Garber, President of Harvard, in an open letter rebuffing the Trump administration's demands.

I’m asking President Bukele under his authority as president of El Salvador to do the right thing and allow Mr. Abrego Garcia to walk out of a prison — a man who’s charged with no crime, convicted of no crime and who was illegally abducted from the United States.— Senator Chris Van Hollen made this statement after meeting with El Salvador’s vice president, Félix Ulloa.

With an endowment of $53.2 billion, Harvard can finance its own chaos – the Department of Homeland Security cannot.— Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security, in a letter to Harvard regarding the cut of grants.

I am announcing the closure of the State Department’s Counter Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, formerly the Global Engagement Center (GEC), which cost taxpayers more than $50 million per year and actively silenced and censored the voices of Americans they were supposed to be serving.— Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of State, announcing the closure of the office and expressing concerns about free speech and the rights of American citizens.

Today’s decision affirms what we have long known: the government’s conduct in this case is unlawful and a threat to people and our Constitution.— Skye Perryman, president of Democracy Forward, an advocacy group for migrants in the case.

"Harvard is a JOKE, teaches Hate and Stupidity, and should no longer receive Federal Funds."— Donald Trump railed against Harvard on social media earlier Wednesday.

"Attorney General James is focused every single day on protecting New Yorkers, especially as this Administration weaponizes the federal government against the rule of law and the Constitution."— A spokesperson for James' office said in a statement provided in response to an ABC News request for comment.

"Why should the government of the United States pay the government of El Salvador to lock up a man who was illegally abducted from the United States and committed no crime?"— Senator Chris Van Hollen made this statement during his visit to El Salvador to advocate for the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia.

"Trump and Musk want to take that away."— Senator Elizabeth Warren, a proponent of building out Direct File, stated this in response to the elimination of the program.

"The labor movement in general sees one of their fellow brothers in a notoriously heinous situation in that prison, and it has people upset, scared."— Michael Coleman, President of AFL-CIO, regarding the situation of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia.

"Jackie Robinson would be stunned how the party of Lincoln and the emancipation of the enslaved has become the party of Jim Crow."— Thomas Whelan, a Boston University social-science professor, on the political changes in the Republican Party.

The government 'deliberately flouted' my orders.— Judge James Boasberg, who threatened to hold the Trump administration in criminal contempt for defying his court order.

"This is a transformational moment in the search for life beyond the solar system, where we have demonstrated that it is possible to detect biosignatures in potentially habitable planets with current facilities. We have entered the era of observational astrobiology."— Nikku Madhusudhan, astrophysicist at the University of Cambridge’s Institute of Astronomy, regarding the discovery of biosignatures on the planet K2-18b.

"We must put pressure on the killers and help life to end this war and guarantee a reliable peace."— Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urges allies to 'put pressure on the killers' after further Russian attacks left three people dead.

"This is the outcome."— Mohsen Mahdawi, reflecting on the consequences of his arrest by ICE.

Everyone knows what sex is and you can't change it.— Susan Smith, co-director of For Women Scotland, which brought the case.