CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS – The Trump administration has frozen $2.2 billion in federal funding for Harvard University amid rising political pressure and accusations that the institution is failing to address antisemitism on campus. The move comes in response to Harvard’s refusal to implement White House directives aimed at restructuring university leadership and diversity policies.
According to AFP, the administration’s Task Force on Combating Antisemitism stated Monday that Harvard’s response illustrates a “deeply concerning mindset” prevalent across elite U.S. universities — that federal funding is somehow detached from civil rights compliance. The White House has demanded sweeping changes, including the closure of diversity and inclusion offices, enhanced cooperation with immigration enforcement, and revisions to student admissions procedures.
Harvard President Alan Garber issued an open letter rejecting the demands. In it, he defended the university’s commitment to academic freedom and intellectual integrity:
“While some of the government’s requests aim to counter antisemitism, most constitute direct federal interference in the university’s academic autonomy,” Garber wrote. “We welcome new ideas and perspectives, but will not comply with requirements that overstep legal authority.”
The dispute is unfolding in the wake of nationwide campus protests that erupted last year over the war in Gaza. Several of those demonstrations turned violent, prompting criticism from Trump and Republican lawmakers, who accused students and faculty of supporting the militant group Hamas and spreading antisemitic rhetoric.
The U.S. Department of Education has since launched investigations into 60 colleges and universities for alleged antisemitic harassment and discrimination. Harvard is among those under review.
This federal funding freeze represents the most significant escalation in tensions between academia and the federal government under Trump’s leadership. As the 2024 election nears, culture war issues — including freedom of speech, university governance, and foreign student regulation — are set to remain at the forefront of political debate.
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