Trump Administration Slashes Additional $450 Million in Harvard Grants Amid Growing Dispute

The Trump administration has intensified its standoff with Harvard University by cutting an additional $450 million in federal grants, escalating tensions over anti-Semitism, racial discrimination, and academic freedom. This move follows the suspension of over $2.2 billion in federal funds the previous week. A joint task force assembled under President Donald Trump accused Harvard of a long-standing practice of racial discrimination and criticized the institution for what it termed “virtue signaling” rather than leadership. The task force stated that by choosing appeasement over accountability, Harvard had forfeited its right to taxpayer support.

The conflict between Trump and Harvard began in March, when Trump initiated a broader crackdown on top U.S. universities following widespread pro-Palestinian protests in response to Israel’s war in Gaza. These protests, which Trump labeled “illegal” and anti-Semitic, were described by student leaders as peaceful demonstrations against alleged human rights abuses in Gaza. Columbia University became an early focus of the administration’s actions, with encampments inspiring global protests and leading to mass arrests. Protest leader Mahmoud Khalil, a foreign student, was notably arrested and had his immigration status revoked under this campaign.

In response to Trump’s threat to withdraw $400 million in funding, Columbia agreed to several federal demands. These included adopting a formal definition of anti-Semitism, increasing campus security, and placing its Middle East studies department under external oversight. Critics, including free speech advocates, viewed these actions as a surrender of academic independence and a concerning precedent of governmental interference in university affairs.

The Trump administration issued even stricter demands on Harvard in April. The university was asked to overhaul its disciplinary system, dismantle diversity initiatives, and allow external audits of any programs labeled anti-Semitic. Additionally, the administration sought “structural and personnel changes” to ensure “viewpoint diversity,” a term critics saw as a way to impose political control over hiring and admissions practices.

Harvard has previously been at the center of debates about race-based admissions, particularly after the U.S. Supreme Court in 2023 ruled that its affirmative action policies violated the Equal Protection Clause. Citing this decision, the Trump administration argued Harvard had failed to address campus-wide racial discrimination and anti-Semitic behavior.

Harvard’s own internal reports in April acknowledged incidents of anti-Muslim and anti-Jewish violence linked to the Gaza conflict, further complicating the university's position. Despite this, Harvard President Alan Garber rejected Trump’s demands on April 14, condemning them as governmental overreach and a threat to academic autonomy.

Garber reiterated that no government should dictate what private universities teach, whom they hire or admit, or how they conduct research. In a response to Education Secretary Linda McMahon, Garber emphasized Harvard’s shared commitment to ending bigotry while also defending free expression. He criticized the administration’s interference as undermining Harvard’s efforts to create an inclusive academic environment.

Trump has since continued to pressure Harvard, including threatening its tax-exempt status and targeting international students. Critics, including Democrats, have warned that such actions may violate legal boundaries, especially those protecting universities from political influence over the IRS. Harvard has remained firm, with Garber asserting that the institution is nonpartisan and will not yield to political coercion.