Trump Administration Cuts Additional $450M Federal Grants to Harvard Amid Antisemitism Claims

The Trump administration has escalated its financial sanctions against Harvard University by terminating an additional $450 million in federal grants, adding to the previously frozen $2.2 billion in funding. This move is part of a broader campaign by the administration, citing Harvard's failure to adequately address pervasive antisemitism and race discrimination on its campus. The administration's Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism criticized Harvard’s leadership for prioritizing appeasement over accountability, thereby forfeiting its claim to taxpayer support. Harvard has strongly opposed these actions, describing the demands to alter its governance, hiring, and admissions practices as illegal attempts to control its academic independence and has pursued legal challenges in response. The dispute also involves threats to Harvard’s tax-exempt status and the ability to enroll international students, reflecting the administration’s broader crackdown on higher education institutions accused of tolerating discrimination. Harvard’s president, Alan Garber, emphasized the university’s commitment to maintaining its constitutional rights and institutional independence against federal government overreach.