Harvard University Sues Donald Trump Administration

Harvard University has filed a federal lawsuit against the administration of President Donald Trump, accusing it of attempting to assert “unprecedented and improper control” over the institution by threatening to withhold more than $2.2 billion in federal funding.

The lawsuit, filed Monday in Massachusetts, comes amid mounting pressure from the Trump administration, which has demanded that Harvard submit all reports related to antisemitism and anti-Muslim bias on campus since October 2023. Officials claim the university has failed to adequately address antisemitic rhetoric on campus.

Harvard President Alan M. Garber warned that the administration’s actions could have “severe and long-lasting” consequences for higher education. "As a Jew and as an American, I know very well that there are valid concerns about rising antisemitism," Garber said. "But the federal government must engage within the bounds of the law — not by attempting to control whom we hire and what we teach."

The Trump administration’s demands reportedly go beyond bias reports, including calls to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, implement merit-based hiring and admissions reforms, ban masks at campus protests, and limit the authority of faculty and administrators accused of prioritizing activism over academics.

Harvard’s lawsuit alleges that the White House is using federal grants and contracts as leverage to interfere with academic decision-making. In total, more than $2.2 billion in research funding is at stake, with an additional $1 billion in federal health research contracts also potentially on the line, according to The Wall Street Journal.

President Trump has repeatedly criticized Harvard, calling the university "woke" and “Radical Left.” He recently described the institution as a “joke” and argued it should no longer be considered among the world’s top universities.

Also Read: Trump Freezes Harvard's $2.2B in Grants Over Antisemitism Stance