US Government Freezes $2.2 Billion in Grants to Harvard for Noncompliance

The federal government has frozen over $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts to Harvard University due to its refusal to comply with the Trump administration's demands aimed at limiting activism on campus. These demands include implementing 'merit-based' admissions and hiring policies, conducting audits of the political views of students and faculty, and banning face masks, which appear targeted at pro-Palestinian protestors. Harvard President Alan Garber defended the university's stance, asserting that the demands violate First Amendment rights and exceed the government's authority under Title VI, which prohibits discrimination. The administration's actions represent a broader strategy to pressure elite universities to align with its political agenda, particularly regarding issues of antisemitism amidst rising tensions related to protests over Israel. Critics argue that withholding funding not only risks the university's operations but also undermines academic independence. Garber emphasized that negotiations over the university's independence and constitutional rights are not on the table.