The Trump administration announced Monday it is freezing $2.2 billion in multi-year federal grants and $60 million in contract funding for Harvard University after the school refused to comply with the administration’s policy demands.
Earlier that day, Harvard publicly rejected new federal requirements that were tied to continued funding. In response to the freeze, the university reaffirmed its stance, saying, “For the government to retreat from these partnerships now risks not only the health and well-being of millions of individuals, but also the economic security and vitality of our nation.”
Last week, a federal task force sent Harvard a letter outlining changes necessary to preserve its financial ties with the government. The demands included eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, banning protest masks, shifting to merit-based hiring and admissions, and reducing influence from faculty seen as overly activist.
Harvard President Alan M. Garber said the university had rejected the proposed agreement through legal counsel. “The University will not surrender its independence or its constitutional rights,” he said, warning that the demands amounted to direct government interference in academic freedom.
The freeze follows similar threats made to other colleges, but Harvard is the first elite institution to openly rebuke the administration. The policy push comes as part of the federal response to rising antisemitism on campuses following the Israel-Hamas war.
“President Trump is working to Make Higher Education Great Again,” a White House spokesperson said, adding that federal funds must not support institutions that violate Title VI or promote racial discrimination or violence.
Garber argued that most of the demands amount to government regulation of Harvard’s academic environment. “No government—regardless of party—should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study they can pursue,” he said.
Harvard’s endowment stood at $53.2 billion in 2024, according to university financial records.
Faculty Lawsuit Filed
On Friday, Harvard’s faculty chapter of the American Association of University Professors, alongside the national organization, filed a lawsuit seeking to block the funding freeze. The legal complaint also asked for an immediate temporary restraining order.
The lawsuit follows funding cuts to other universities, including Columbia, which saw $400 million in federal funds withheld. “What the President is demanding is nothing short of authoritarian,” said Harvard Law School professor Nikolas Bowie. “He is violating the First Amendment rights of universities and faculty.”
The administration’s letter also called for full cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and regulatory agencies. Days later, the Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and General Services Administration began reviewing $8.7 billion in grants and over $255 million in contracts between the federal government and Harvard and its affiliates.