Harvard sues Trump administration over frozen federal funds
Harvard University, renowned as one of the top institutions globally, has filed a lawsuit against the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, demanding the release of withheld federal funds. The university argues that the government's actions infringe upon its independence and freedom of speech.
Harvard University has initiated legal proceedings against President Donald Trump's administration, accusing it of freezing federal funds. In the lawsuit submitted to a federal court in Boston, the university charges the administration with attempting to influence Harvard's academic decisions by withholding funds.
Harvard claims this is part of a broader campaign against leading American universities, which are accused of tolerating anti-Semitism and failing to respond to pro-Palestinian protests. The university's provost, Alan Garber, asserted that the institution will continue to combat hatred and comply with anti-discrimination regulations.
Freezing of funds and demands from the Trump administration
In March, the Trump administration began reviewing Harvard's funding, which amounts to approximately €7.8 billion. This review resulted in €2 billion being frozen, with threats to revoke the university's tax-exempt status.
The blocking of funds is a reaction to the university's refusal to implement changes to its diversity policy, including increasing the number of students and faculty with conservative views. The administration also demanded comprehensive information on the university's international connections and the enforcement of a ban on mask-wearing.
The freezing of funds has led to the suspension of many research projects at Harvard. The university, which receives about €7.8 billion annually in grants and federal contracts, is the largest recipient of research funding in the U.S. According to "U.S. News & World Report," Harvard's endowment stands at approximately €44 billion, making it the wealthiest university in America.
Harvard is not the only institution that has faced fund freezes. Similar actions have been taken against other prestigious universities, such as Columbia, Princeton, Cornell, Northwestern, and Brown. All these institutions have been sites of protests considered problematic by the Trump administration.
According to Reuters, since assuming office in January, President Trump has openly targeted top American universities, claiming they have not sufficiently addressed last year’s pro-Palestinian demonstrations and have allowed anti-Semitism to persist on campus. Meanwhile, demonstrators — including certain Jewish organizations — argue that their opposition to Israel’s military operations in Gaza is being unjustly conflated with anti-Semitic sentiment.
