Harvard Rejects Trump Administration’s Demands, Faces $2.3 Billion Federal Funding Freeze
Harvard President Alan Garber Denounces Government Overreach, Vows to Defend University’s Independence and Constitutional Rights
Harvard University has firmly rejected demands from the Trump administration that sought to impose significant changes on its governance, admissions, hiring practices, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.
The administration’s demands included reporting foreign students for violations, overhauling university leadership, ending DEI initiatives, and ensuring “viewpoint diversity” by auditing faculty and students’ political perspectives.
On Monday, a Department of Education task force on combating antisemitism accused America’s oldest university of having a “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.”
Harvard President Alan Garber condemned these demands as an unprecedented government overreach that threatens the university’s independence and constitutional rights, stating that no government should dictate what private universities teach or whom they admit and hire.
In response to Harvard’s refusal to comply, the Trump administration announced a freeze on $2.3 billion in federal funding, including multi-year grants and contracts.
This funding suspension is part of a broader review of nearly $9 billion in federal contracts and grants to Harvard and other universities, linked to concerns about rising antisemitism on campuses amid pro-Palestinian protests related to the Gaza conflict.
The Trump administration accused Harvard of failing to uphold civil rights laws and demanded reforms to reduce activism perceived as overshadowing scholarship.
Harvard’s stance marks a significant confrontation between a leading private university and the federal government, with the university emphasizing its commitment to academic freedom and constitutional protections.
The university is also taking steps to address antisemitism internally, but rejects the administration’s approach as coercive and legally unfounded.
To mitigate potential financial impacts from the funding freeze, Harvard is reportedly seeking to borrow $750 million from Wall Street.
Last week, a group of Harvard professors sued to block the Trump administration’s review of nearly $9 billion in federal contracts and grants awarded to the school.
The Trump administration is reportedly considering forcing fellow Ivy League school Columbia into a consent decree that would legally bind the school to follow federal guidelines in how it combats antisemitism.
Some Columbia professors, like those at Harvard, have sued the federal government in response.
The government has suspended $400 million in federal funding and grants to Columbia.
Harvard President Alan Garber Denounces Government Overreach, Vows to Defend University’s Independence and Constitutional Rights
Harvard University President Alan Garber, in a letter responding to the Trump administration’s demands, firmly rejected the federal government’s attempts to control the university’s governance, admissions, hiring, and diversity programs. Garber emphasized that no government—regardless of party—should dictate what private universities teach, whom they admit and hire, or which areas of study and inquiry they pursue, calling the administration’s demands a violation of Harvard’s First Amendment rights and an overreach beyond statutory authority under Title VI.
He stated that Harvard “will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights” and described the demands as unprecedented government overreach that threatens academic freedom and the university’s core values.
“No government — regardless of which party is in power — should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue,” Garber wrote.
Garber also highlighted Harvard’s ongoing commitment to combating antisemitism and fostering a culture of open inquiry, free speech, and respectful dissent on campus.
He also said, viewing allegations of antisemitism, “As we defend Harvard, we will continue to nurture a thriving culture of open inquiry on our campus; develop the tools, skills, and practices needed to engage constructively with one another; and broaden the intellectual and viewpoint diversity within our community.”
He outlined the university’s efforts over the past 15 months to address antisemitism and pledged to continue developing tools and practices to support a diverse and inclusive community while maintaining fairness in disciplinary processes.
The letter underscored Harvard’s resolve to defend its independence and constitutional protections despite the threat of a $2.3 billion federal funding freeze imposed by the administration in response to the university’s refusal to comply.
