The Trump administration is freezing over $2 billion in federal funds to Harvard University, hours after the Ivy League school indicated it rejected the federal government’s demands for various policy reforms intended to restore ideological balance on campus.
The multi-agency Joint Task Force to Combat Antisemitism announced on Monday evening it would freeze Harvard’s $2.2 billion in multiyear grants and a $60 million contract.
“Harvard's statement today reinforces the troubling entitlement mindset that is endemic in our nation’s most prestigious universities and colleges – that federal investment does not come with the responsibility to uphold civil rights laws,” the task force said in a statement.
The swift action came in response to Harvard’s letter to the Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and the General Services Administration — all members of the federal task force. In the letter, Harvard accused the federal government of disregarding its First Amendment freedoms and failing to prove the alleged harms that inform the administration’s demands.
“It is unfortunate, then, that your letter disregards Harvard's efforts and instead presents demands that, in contravention of the First Amendment, invade university freedoms long recognized by the Supreme Court. The government's terms also circumvent Harvard's statutory rights by requiring unsupported and disruptive remedies for alleged harms that the government has not proven through mandatory processes established by Congress and required by law,” Harvard’s attorneys wrote.
“The university will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights. Neither Harvard nor any other private university can allow itself to be taken over by the federal government. Accordingly, Harvard will not accept the government's terms as an agreement in principle.”
Harvard remains open to discussions with the Trump administration, even though it is rejecting the initial demands. The White House is currently reviewing nearly $9 billion in federal funding to Harvard as it investigates whether the university is adequately addressing campus antisemitism and complying with federal civil rights law.
Trump’s task force on antisemitism is investigating Harvard in accordance with the president’s executive order on combating antisemitic harassment within federally funded institutions.
The Trump administration sent Harvard an expanded list of demands last week for what it must do to create a scholarly and intellectually diverse academic environment that justifies its current level of federal funding.
The demands include merit-based hiring and admissions, screening international admits to prevent terrorism supporters from enrolling, increasing viewpoint diversity in admissions and hiring, allowing an external audit of antisemitic and far-left ideological programs, reducing administrative bloat, ending DEI initiatives, disempowering student activists, enforcing disciplinary policies against campus agitators, protecting whistleblowers, and submitting a transparency report each quarter.
Harvard touted its reforms over the past 15 months to address the explosion of antisemitism at the Ivy League school following Hamas’s rampage against Israel on October 7, 2023, and Israel’s subsequent war in Gaza.
The Cambridge, Mass., university said it implemented procedures for accountability and discipline while strengthening programs meant to support ideological diversity and combat hate on campus.
“Harvard is in a very different place today from where it was a year ago. These efforts, and additional measures the university will be taking against antisemitism, not only are the right thing to do but also are critical to strengthening Harvard's community as a place in which everyone can thrive,” Harvard said.
Last year, Harvard was one of several elite colleges taken over by anti-Israel protest encampments. Many of those anti-Israel demonstrations featured calls to destroy Israel, as well as anti-American viewpoints.
Conservatives have long been critical of progressive uniformity among college professors and administrators, especially during the outbreak of anti-Israel and anti-American agitation on many campuses.
Given the Trump administration’s disruption of the status quo in higher education, Harvard instituted a temporary hiring freeze in March until it has a better idea of what federal policy will look like moving forward. The administration has launched civil rights investigations into dozens of educational institutions over campus antisemitism and left-wing diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
The Joint Task Force to Combat Antisemitism issued a stern message to Harvard, warning its federal funding will continue to be in jeopardy if it doesn’t change its campus policies related to antisemitism.
“The disruption of learning that has plagued campuses in recent years is unacceptable. The harassment of Jewish students is intolerable,” the task force said. “It is time for elite universities to take the problem seriously and commit to meaningful change if they wish to continue receiving taxpayer support.”
This story has been updated with new information.
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