Here's what Trump said when told Harvard is getting $9M Covid aid despite $41 Bn endowment

US President Donald Trump has insisted that Harvard, world's wealthiest university, pay back millions it received under a massive government stimulus package meant to cushion economy from coronavirus pandemic.

"Harvard, you pay that money back. I want Harvard to pay money back, ok? And if y don't do that, n we'll do something else," Trump said at his daily briefing on pandemic on Tuesday.

"I don't like it at all. This is meant for workers. This isn't meant for one of richest institutions ... in world," billionaire president continued.

Shortly after Trump spoke, Cambridge, Massachusetts-based university tweeted that it was allocated USD 8.6 million as part of historic USD 2.2 trillion package passed last month to stimulate collapsing US economy. It said 100 per cent of funds would be given to students "facing urgent financial needs due to COVID-19 pandemic", and stressed that money did not fall under Paycheck Protection Programme for small business relief.

"President Trump is right that it would not have been appropriate for our institution to receive funds that were designated for struggling small businesses," it tweeted.

It did not respond directly to Trump's call for money to be repaid.

"Give it back. Everyone, literally everyone, needs it more than you," responded one user, Ellen Sledge.

university has been under fire for a day alrey over funds.

" last time Harvard got this much money out of blue, y h to accept Jared Kushner," joked Comedy Central's Daily Show on Twitter, referring to Trump's son-in-law, on Monday.

Department of Education was to receive USD 30.8 billion to support schools and universities, which are closed across country, under stimulus package. Harvard Crimson reported on Tuesday that university's endowment, largest of any in world, was last valued in 2019 at USD 40.9 billion, though it cited ministrators as saying that may have declined to "mid 30-billion range" as a result of coronavirus pandemic.