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Harvard University Sues Trump Administration Over Frozen Federal Funding
Harvard sues Trump admin for freezing $2.3B in funding after rejecting White House demands. University calls it an attack on academic freedom.
ND
by News Desk
2025-04-22
Harvard University Sues Trump Administration Over Frozen Federal Funding

Harvard University has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration in federal court, accusing the U.S. government of unlawfully freezing over $2.3 billion in federal research funding after the university refused to comply with sweeping White House demands.

The lawsuit, filed Monday in Boston, claims that President Donald Trump is using funding as political leverage to interfere with academic independence and silence dissent, particularly regarding pro-Palestinian protests and diversity policies on campus.

“This case involves the Government’s efforts to use the withholding of federal funding as leverage to gain control of academic decision-making at Harvard,” the lawsuit reads, calling the move a violation of the university’s First Amendment right to free speech.

Since assuming office in January, Trump has launched a crackdown on prominent universities, alleging that institutions like Harvard allowed antisemitism to grow under the guise of political protest. Critics argue the administration is conflating criticism of Israel's military actions in Gaza with antisemitic behavior.

In March, the Trump administration began a sweeping review of $9 billion in federal support for Harvard and later issued demands including a ban on protest masks and the dismantling of all diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

Following Harvard’s refusal to comply, $2.3 billion in funding was frozen. The administration also threatened to revoke the university’s tax-exempt status and the ability to enroll foreign students, while demanding disclosures regarding its foreign affiliations, funding sources, students, and faculty.

White House spokesperson Harrison Fields said in a statement that the “gravy train of federal assistance” to elite institutions is ending. “Taxpayer funds are a privilege, and Harvard fails to meet the basic conditions required to access that privilege,” he said.

Harvard President Alan Garber responded in a statement, defending the university’s commitment to fighting discrimination and hate, while criticizing the federal government's “politically motivated” overreach.

“Instead of engaging with Harvard about fighting antisemitism as civil rights law requires, the government is seeking to control whom we hire and teach,” Garber said.

Harvard is the first university to formally sue in response to the Trump administration's actions, but faculty members at Harvard and professors at Columbia University have also filed separate lawsuits, citing similar concerns over academic freedom and government overreach.

The lawsuit names multiple federal departments, including Health and Human Services, Energy, and Education.

This legal battle could set a precedent for other academic institutions under pressure amid rising tensions between free expression, campus activism, and government scrutiny.

 
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