Department of Education freezes more than $2 billion for Harvard

The Trump administration announced Monday night that it is freezing more than $2 billion in multi-year federal grants, as well as $60 million in multi-year contract value previously allocated for Harvard University. The freeze was announced in a written statement from the U.S. Department of Education’s Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism.

The statement came after Harvard University on Monday flatly rejected calls for institutional reform by President Donald Trump’s administration, saying it would not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights. In a letter signed by attorneys on behalf of the university, the school accused the Trump administration of trying to orchestrate a federal takeover of Harvard and pledged not to accept the administration’s terms.

What is the Trump administration demanding? In a Friday letter to the university, the U.S. Department of Education called for several institutional reforms, many of which were related to allegations of anti-Semitism. Jewish students have accused the school of indifference to their safety during violent anti-Israel protests on campus. The Education Department said Harvard must discontinue all diversity, equity, and inclusion, or DEI, programs, while implementing merit-based hiring and admissions policies. The school must also provide for viewpoint diversity in admissions and hiring and screen international students to prevent the admission of anyone hostile to American values and institutions. The administration demanded that Harvard eliminate any programs that promote anti-Semitism. The university was also required to revamp its student discipline policies to toughen penalties for students who engage in inappropriate behavior. The school must not be allowed to fund or recognize student groups or clubs that promote violence or other criminal activity, the letter said.

What was Harvard’s response? For the past 15 months, Harvard has made significant administrative changes to root out anti-Semitism, according to the school’s Monday letter. These efforts included changes to its campus use policies, accountability procedures, partnerships, and security measures. The Trump administration has ignored these endeavors and has instead presented Harvard with demands that circumvent university freedoms upheld by the Supreme Court, the letter insisted.

Dig deeper: Read Christina Grube’s report about a lawsuit brought by Jewish students who accused Harvard of fostering anti-Semitism.