‘Illegal govt overreach’: As Trump admin freezes all new grants, Harvard university says will continue to defend | World News
Harvard University will not receive any new federal grants until it meets a series of demands from President Donald Trump’s adminration, the Education Secretary Linda McMahon said on Tuesday.
McMahon, in a strongly worded letter posted on X, reiterated the Trump adminration’s stance stating Harvard must address concerns about antisemitism on campus, school policies that consider a student’s race. “This letter is to inform you that Harvard should no longer seek GRANTS from the federal government, since none will be provided,” the letter to Harvard’s president read.
The ban applies to federal research grants and not to federal financial aid that helps students cover college tuition and fees, an Education Department official was quoted as saying to news agency AP.
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This move amounts to a major escalation of Trump’s battle with the Ivy League school, freezing billions of dollars in future research grants for the university.
The US government had previously frozen $2.2 billion grants of Harvard University, while the president has been pushing to ensure a tax-exempt status for the varsity.
Dear @Harvard: pic.twitter.com/XmMimXfkX0
— Secretary Linda McMahon (@EDSecMcMahon) May 5, 2025
In a three page letter posted on X, the education secretary wrote: “Harvard University has made a mockery of this country’s higher education system. It has invited foreign students, who engage in violent behaviour and slur contempt for the United States of America, to its campus.”
Harvard will continue to defend against illegal government overreach aimed at stifling research and innovation that make Americans safer and more secure. Read the full statement: https://t.co/UIPoI5wZrr
— Harvard News (@harvardnews) May 6, 2025
She further said: “In every way, Harvard has failed to abide its legal obligations, its ethical and fiduciary duties, its transparency responsibilities, and any semblance of academic rigour. It had scrapped standardised testing requirements and a normalised grading system.”
Harvard’s response
In its response, Harvard University said the demands the education secretary would impose “unprecedented and improper control” over the university, and threatened to “illegally” withhold federal grants for lifesaving research.
“Today’s letter makes new threats to illegally withhold funding for lifesaving research and innovation in retaliation against Harvard for filing its lawsuit on April 21,” it added.Story continues below this ad
Trump has targeted Harvard University over allegations of anti-semitism on campus during pro-Palestinian protests. The Republican leader has claimed that those supporting Palestine are antisemitic and sympathetic to militant group Hamas.
Rejecting several demands of Donald Trump last month, Harvard called them an attack on free speech and academic freedom and filed a lawsuit against the government stating funding cuts will have stark “real-life consequences for patients, students, faculty, staff, and researchers.”
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