Boston, Massachusetts – The Trump administration is escalating its confrontation with Harvard University by planning to withdraw an additional $1 billion in federal grants and contracts for health research. This decision comes after Harvard refused to comply with policy demands from the administration, sparking a high-stakes battle between the government and the university over institutional oversight and independence.
Last Monday, the administration announced a freeze on $2.2 billion in multiyear grants and $60 million in multiyear contract value after Harvard’s refusal to adhere to policy demands. This move was a surprise to officials when Harvard made public a letter from the Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism. There has been no official comment from Harvard or the White House on the matter.
The administration had initially intended to treat Harvard more leniently compared to Columbia University but decided to apply more pressure following Harvard’s public defiance. The demands from the administration included federal-government oversight of admissions, hiring, and the ideology of students and staff, which Harvard deemed unacceptable.
In response to administration demands, Columbia University made policy changes, including restrictions on demonstrations, new disciplinary procedures, and an immediate review of its Middle East curriculum. President Donald Trump had previously revoked $400 million in federal funding over campus protests at Columbia University.
The battle between Harvard and the government escalated when Harvard firmly rejected the demands in an April 11 letter. Harvard President Alan M. Garber stated that the university would not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights. The demands included banning masks at campus protests, reforming merit-based hiring and admissions, and reducing the power held by faculty and administrators.
The issue of combating antisemitism on campus has been at the center of the dispute, with concerns raised about the Trump administration overreaching in its attempts to punish Harvard. The Internal Revenue Service is reportedly considering rescinding Harvard’s tax-exempt status, and the administration has also threatened Harvard’s ability to enroll foreign students.
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey has criticized Trump’s pressure campaigns against Harvard and other universities, calling the push to revoke Harvard’s not-for-profit status “outrageous.” This latest development reveals the ongoing power struggle between the government and one of the nation’s most prominent universities.