Harvard Sues Trump Administration Over Threats to Funding and Academic Freedom

Massachusetts(Quds News Network)- Harvard University filed a federal lawsuit on Monday against U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, reported the New York Times. The lawsuit challenges a campaign of intimidation using antisemitism accusations targeting higher education in the United States.

Harvard, the world’s richest university, said the Trump administration threatened to slash billions in research funding. The university accused the government of using those threats to control how it operates.

The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Massachusetts. It accuses top administration officials of launching a “broad and unlawful attack” on the school’s independence.

“This is about more than just funding,” said Harvard President Alan M. Garber in a statement. “The government is trying to exert unprecedented and improper control over academic decisions. The consequences will be severe and long lasting.”

Tensions have been rising for months between elite universities and the Trump administration. Trump has vowed to “reclaim” institutions he claims are dominated by “radical ideology” after it allowed anti-genocide protests on campus.

The administration framed its actions as part of a push against antisemitism following nationwide protests against Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

Earlier this month, the administration sent Harvard a list of demands. It called for audits of professors, reports on international students accused of misconduct, and the appointment of an outside official to oversee “viewpoint diversity” across departments.

Harvard refused. Days later, the administration threatened to cancel visas for international students enrolled at the university.

The lawsuit names several officials, including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Education Secretary Linda M. McMahon, Attorney General Pamela J. Bondi, and others.

It also references other top universities that have faced sudden cuts to federal grants and partnerships in recent weeks.

In his statement, Dr. Garber said the government’s actions strike at the core of academic freedom. “This lawsuit is about protecting the right to think, to question, and to teach without political interference,” he said.

The dispute intensified after Harvard publicly disclosed a letter from the administration’s Task Force to Combat Antisemitism. The letter outlined extensive requirements, including government oversight of admissions and hiring processes, monitoring of campus ideologies, and reporting of international student conduct.

Harvard’s decision to make the letter public reportedly angered the White House, which had anticipated private negotiations. In response, the administration escalated its actions by freezing significant funding and threatening additional financial penalties. 

This conflict is part of a broader campaign by the Trump administration to assert greater control over elite academic institutions.

The administration has accused universities like Harvard of fostering environments that tolerate antisemitism, particularly in the wake of pro-Palestinian and anti-genocide protests on campuses. Critics argue that the administration’s actions threaten the independence of higher education and could undermine the foundational principles of academic freedom and free inquiry in the United States.

The case could set a major legal precedent for the future of higher education in the U.S.