The Trump administration plans to purge an additional $450 million in educational funding from Harvard University.
YO, LISTEN UP:
Steep cuts are coming Harvard University's way, with another $450 million in grants getting axed by the Trump administration. This move comes hot on the heels of Harvard's President going toe-to-toe with the government over allegations of extreme liberalism and their efforts to combat antisemitism on campus.
Elissa Nadworny's got the lowdown for ya: The Federal antisemitism task force penned a letter telling Harvard that it's saying goodbye to more grants from eight different federal agencies. On top of the 2.2 billion already put on hold last month, and the announcement from the administration last week that Harvard would be shut out from future federal grants, these latest cuts are reeling in.
So why's this happening now? Harvard's President, Alan Garber, fired back with a letter to Education Secretary Linda McMahon, explaining what the school’s been doing to stamp out antisemitism and other forms of discrimination. He also called out the allegations of partisanship as bogus, stating bluntly that Harvard is not an arm of any political party and never will be. The next day, the government responded with a vengeance, announcing the additional cuts.
The letter's signed off by bigwigs at the Education Department, Health and Human Services, and the General Services Administration. They claim that Harvard’s campus has morphed into a breeding ground for discrimination and that school leaders have thrown in the towel on maintaining their entitlement to taxpayer support. Harvard's countered by suing the administration to put a stop to the federal funding freeze, updating their lawsuit to address these recent cuts. They're throwin' down the gauntlet, stating that these moves are illegal, infringe on academic freedom, and threaten their First Amendment rights. The trial's set to hit the courtroom in July.
Sources:[1] InsideHigherEd.com, "Harvard Asks Court to Lift Government Funding Ban Against It," April 21, 2025.[2] The Harvard Crimson, "Harvard Sues Trump Administration over Funding Freeze," April 21, 2025.[3] The Wall Street Journal, "Harvard Sues Administration, Says Antisemitism Probe Has No Legal Basis," April 21, 2025.[4] Politico, "Harvard to Challenge Trump Funding Freeze in Court," April 21, 2025.
- The ongoing controversy over antisemitism at Harvard University has led to a political issue, as the Trump administration announced policy-and-legislation changes that cut $450 million in grants, following disagreements between Harvard's President and the government.
- During the unfolding drama, the general-news media reported on the Federal antisemitism task force's letter to Harvard, stating that grants from eight federal agencies would be withheld due to the task force's allegations of discrimination on campus.
- As a result, the government's antisemitism allegations and funding cuts have led to news stories covering Harvard's lawsuit against the administration, claiming that these actions infringe on academic freedom and threaten their First Amendment rights, with the trial set to take place in July.
