Trump Freezes $2.2 Billion in Harvard Grants Over Activism
The Trump administration has halted $2.2 billion in federal grants and an additional $60 million in contracts previously allocated to Harvard University, citing the school’s refusal to adhere to new policy directives tied to campus activism.
Last week, the White House pressed Harvard to implement sweeping institutional changes, including admissions and hiring strictly based on merit, mandatory audits on diversity of thought among students and faculty, and a ban on the use of face coverings – believed to target pro-Palestinian protestors.
In a formal letter to the university, federal officials laid out a broad set of expectations: reforms to governance, removal of racial preferences, and a reevaluation of how campus groups are funded – especially those allegedly promoting violence or unlawful activity.
Also read: Harvard Upholds Academic Freedom Amid Trump’s Funding Pressure
Harvard Pushes Back: “Academic Freedom at Stake”
In a strong rebuttal issued Monday, Harvard University President Alan Garber denounced the administration’s demands, calling them a direct threat to the school’s autonomy and a clear breach of First Amendment protections.
Garber emphasized that under Title VI—a civil rights law that governs federal funding—there are legal boundaries that prevent the government from dictating curriculum, staffing, and academic direction at private institutions.
“No government, regardless of its ideology, should decide what we teach, who we admit, or the principles we stand for,” Garber wrote in his letter to students and faculty. “We must define our future based on our mission and values – not political coercion.”
He also highlighted the university’s ongoing efforts to combat antisemitism, insisting that sweeping federal intervention is not the solution.
A Broader Federal Offensive Targeting Elite Campuses
The action against Harvard is part of a broader campaign by the Trump administration to leverage federal funding as a tool to reshape the landscape of higher education, particularly at elite institutions perceived as progressive strongholds.
Alongside Harvard, the government has paused funding to several Ivy League schools including the University of Pennsylvania, Brown, and Princeton – accusing them of failing to address antisemitic behavior linked to student protests in response to Israel’s 2023 military campaign in Gaza.
A similar ultimatum sent to Columbia University reportedly led to internal reforms following threats of federal funding loss.
The situation continues to escalate as universities weigh legal action, public pushback grows, and questions mount over whether political influence is compromising the independence of American higher education.
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