The Trump administration has frozen over $2.2 billion in federal grants and an additional $60 million in contracts to Harvard University following the institution’s refusal to comply with a list of sweeping federal directives. The move marks a major escalation in tensions between the federal government and elite academic institutions over free speech, campus governance, and political activism.
According to reports, the administration demanded that Harvard eliminate its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, transition to a merit-only admissions policy, implement stricter vetting for international applicants, and ban the use of face masks on campus—a rule widely interpreted as a measure to suppress pro-Palestinian protests.
Harvard President Alan Garber rejected the demands, stating they violate the university’s constitutional rights and threaten academic freedom. He emphasized that such interference compromises the institution’s independence and its commitment to inclusive values.
The freeze is part of a broader push by the Trump administration to address what it views as rising antisemitism and ideological bias on college campuses. Other universities, including Columbia, have also faced similar demands and threats of losing federal funds.
Legal scholars and civil liberties groups have condemned the move as a dangerous precedent that politicizes education and punishes schools for refusing to conform to federal ideology. Several lawsuits are expected in the coming weeks challenging the legality of the funding freeze.
The controversy has sparked a national debate about the limits of federal power over academic institutions, the protection of civil liberties on campus, and the balance between combating hate and preserving free expression.
More developments are expected as Harvard explores legal avenues to reverse the decision and rally support from peer institutions and civil rights organizations.
