WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Education announced Monday that Harvard University will not receive any new federal grants until it complies with a series of demands from President Donald Trump’s administration.
This decision, detailed in a letter sent to Harvard’s president, marks a significant escalation in Trump’s ongoing conflict with the Ivy League institution. The administration had previously frozen $2.2 billion in federal grants to Harvard, and the president is now pushing to revoke the university’s tax-exempt status.
Harvard has resisted the administration’s demands, setting the stage for a high-profile confrontation as Trump seeks to overhaul policies at universities he accuses of fostering liberalism and antisemitism.
In a press call Monday, an Education Department official announced that Harvard University will be barred from receiving new federal grants until it can “demonstrate responsible management of the university” and meet a series of government demands. This restriction applies to federal research grants but does not affect federal financial aid that assists students with tuition and fees. The official, who spoke anonymously to preview the decision, detailed the administration’s stance to reporters.
Trump Administration Lists Harvard’s ‘Failures’
The official accused Harvard of “serious failures,” claiming the university has allowed antisemitism and racial discrimination to persist, failed to uphold academic standards, and suppressed diverse viewpoints on campus. To regain eligibility for new federal funding, Harvard would be required to enter negotiations with the government and prove it has met a list of conditions set by the administration.
Among those demands are sweeping changes to university leadership, adjustments to its admissions policies, and audits of faculty and student populations to ensure a variety of viewpoints are represented. The action is part of a broader federal campaign targeting several elite universities. The administration has already cut off funding to institutions such as Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Cornell University in pursuit of similar goals.
The White House maintains its efforts are intended to combat campus antisemitism, particularly following widespread pro-Palestinian protests on U.S. campuses last year. It has also turned attention to issues like transgender participation in women’s sports and has criticized diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, as well as limits on conservative free speech.
In a letter Monday, Education Secretary Linda McMahon accused Harvard of enrolling foreign students who, she claimed, displayed contempt for the United States. “Harvard University has made a mockery of this country’s higher education system,” McMahon wrote.
Harvard Pushes Back, Citing Overreach
Harvard’s president has consistently rejected the administration’s demands. The university filed a lawsuit last month challenging the funding freeze, arguing it constitutes unlawful government overreach.
In a statement Monday, Harvard reaffirmed its position, claiming the government’s actions were retaliatory. “Today, we received another letter from the administration doubling down on demands that would impose unprecedented and improper control over Harvard University and would have chilling implications for higher education,” the university said. Harvard pledged to continue fighting what it called illegal interference meant to stifle academic research and innovation.
Speaking with alumni last week, Harvard President Alan Garber acknowledged there was “a kernel of truth” to criticisms of antisemitism and limits on free speech, but said the federal government’s escalating demands pose a serious threat to the university’s independence.
“We were faced with a recent demand from the federal government that, in the guise of combating antisemitism, raised new issues of control that frankly we did not anticipate, getting to the heart of governance,” Garber said. “We felt that we had to take a stand.”
Harvard’s lawsuit contends that the funding freeze violates its First Amendment rights and protections under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. Garber warned that the issue extends beyond Harvard. “Let us not mistake the issue that we face right now,” he said. “It is an assault on higher education.”
Endowment Resources Face Constraints
The administration has stated that Harvard would need to satisfy a range of conditions to retain nearly $9 billion in federal grants and contracts. While Harvard’s $53 billion endowment is the largest of any U.S. university, federal research grants still made up 10.5% of its revenue in 2023.
Harvard, like many universities, remains reliant on federal funding. In 2023, U.S. universities collectively received $59.6 billion in federal research grants, accounting for over half of the $109 billion spent on research at higher education institutions.
On Monday, McMahon suggested Harvard could use its “colossal endowment” or solicit donations from wealthy alumni to offset lost federal funds. Currently, Harvard allocates about 5% of its endowment value toward university operations each year, contributing roughly a third of its overall budget. While the university could increase that spending, institutions typically limit endowment withdrawals to preserve long-term investment gains. Furthermore, much of Harvard’s endowment is restricted by donor agreements that specify how funds can be used.