Trump Administration Halts New Federal Research Grants for Harvard

The Trump administration has announced that Harvard University will be barred from receiving any new federal research grants until it addresses a series of concerns raised by the government. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon is sending a letter to Harvard's president outlining that the university must demonstrate responsible management and make changes to resolve issues such as antisemitism, alleged race-based discrimination at the Harvard Law Review, declining academic standards, and insufficient viewpoint diversity. This action does not affect existing federal research grants or federal financial aid for students, but will halt new research funding, amounting to over $1 billion annually. The administration has already frozen $2.2 billion in multi-year funding and signaled openness to negotiations if Harvard brings its policies into compliance with federal law. President Trump has also called for revoking Harvard's tax-exempt status and raised the possibility of restricting its ability to admit foreign students. The move represents a significant escalation in ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and the university regarding academic freedom, campus oversight, and institutional accountability.