President Donald Trump intensified his feud with Harvard University on Thursday, branding the Ivy League institution "a disgrace" and accusing it of "obvious antisemitism" as his administration froze $2.2 billion in federal funding. Speaking to reporters outside the White House, Trump lambasted Harvard for rejecting demands to overhaul its policies on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), admissions, and campus protests, signaling a broader campaign to reshape elite higher education. "I think Harvard's a disgrace," Trump declared, hinting at further punitive measures, including a potential review of the university's tax-exempt status.
The funding freeze, affecting $2.2 billion in multiyear grants and $60 million in contracts, follows Harvard's refusal to comply with a sweeping set of White House directives issued on April 3. These demands include dismantling DEI programs, adopting merit-based hiring and admissions, banning face masks at protests, and cooperating with immigration authorities to screen international students. The administration also ordered Harvard to provide detailed records on foreign students allegedly involved in "illegal and violent activities," citing concerns over campus antisemitism fueled by pro-Palestinian protests. Harvard President Alan Garber rejected the directives as unconstitutional, stating, "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."
Trump's rhetoric escalated further on Truth Social, where he suggested Harvard could lose its tax-exempt status if it continues "pushing political, ideological, and terrorist-inspired/supporting 'sickness.'" The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, doubled down, demanding an apology from Harvard for allegedly promoting antisemitism. "Trump wants to see Harvard apologise. And Harvard should apologise," Leavitt told journalists. While the IRS would independently decide on tax-exempt matters, former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers warned that such actions resemble "selective persecution" and could "devastate progress in medical and scientific research."
The freeze, part of a $9 billion clampdown on federal research funding, targets Harvard's $686 million in annual federal grants, which fund 68% of its sponsored research, including studies on cancer, Alzheimer's, and space exploration. Despite Harvard's $53.2 billion endowment, experts note that endowment restrictions limit its ability to offset the loss, potentially disrupting research and jobs. "Most endowment money is restricted to specific things," higher education finance consultant Lucie Lapovsky told Forbes. Harvard's defiance has inspired other institutions, with 39 colleges, including Yale, cited as financially capable of resisting similar pressure.
The administration's actions extend beyond Harvard. Brown University faces a $510 million funding freeze, while Columbia, Cornell, and Northwestern have seen cuts of $400 million, $1 billion, and $790 million, respectively. Trump's task force, operating under the Justice Department's civil rights division, is reviewing funding for dozens of elite universities, accusing them of fostering antisemitism and ideological bias. Columbia recently complied with similar demands to restore its funding, but Harvard's stand has sparked a constitutional debate over academic freedom versus federal authority.
Elon Musk has also weighed in, sharing Trump's Truth Social post and nodding to criticisms of Harvard's policies, amplifying the controversy on X. Posts on X reflect polarized sentiments, with some praising Trump's crackdown and others decrying it as an attack on free speech. "Trump has frozen $2.2 billion in funding for Harvard University after it refused to give in to his demands," one user noted, alongside images of pro-Palestinian protests at Harvard.
Harvard's financial resilience may cushion the blow, but the standoff risks long-term damage to U.S. higher education. "This is unconscionable and wrong," Summers said, warning of a chilling effect on academic independence. As Trump pushes for ideological conformity, Harvard's defiance could set a precedent for how universities navigate federal power in an increasingly polarized era.
Originally published on University Herald
