Trump Administration Cuts Over $2.2 Billion in Funding to Harvard Amid Antisemitism Dispute

The Trump administration has frozen over $2.2 billion in federal funding to Harvard University after the institution refused to comply with demands to address antisemitism on campus.

The Joint Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, under the Trump administration, has announced the suspension of over $2.2 billion in multi-year grants and contracts to Harvard University. This decision follows Harvard President Alan M. Garber’s declaration that the university would not meet the administration’s demands regarding the handling of antisemitism, despite the potential loss of federal funding. The task force criticized Harvard’s stance, highlighting a perceived ’entitlement mindset’ among elite universities and stressing the need for these institutions to uphold civil rights laws to continue receiving taxpayer support.

Harvard’s refusal came after the administration expanded its list of demands and threatened to cut funding to several universities over similar issues. In a letter, Garber indicated that the federal government’s approach was not cooperative or constructive, leading Harvard to reject the proposed agreement through its legal counsel.

The move has sparked varied reactions. Representative Elise Stefanik, a Harvard alumna, condemned the university’s response, accusing it of moral and academic decay and calling for a complete defunding. Conversely, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey lauded Harvard’s stand against what she described as the administration’s ‘bullying’ tactics, emphasizing that fighting antisemitism should not compromise educational freedom.

The Trump administration’s actions are part of a broader initiative to address antisemitism on college campuses, having also suspended funding to other Ivy League institutions and numerous other universities. This aggressive stance follows criticism of the previous administration’s handling of campus protests and aims to hold universities accountable for maintaining a safe environment for all students.