Washington (QNN)- The administration of US President Donald Trump escalated its attacks on Harvard University on Friday. It filed a federal lawsuit seeking to recover billions of dollars in funding. Officials accuse the university of failing to protect Israeli students.
The US Department of Justice submitted the complaint in a Boston federal court. It argues that Harvard showed “deliberate indifference” to what it described as harassment targeting Israeli students. The filing claims the university refused to enforce campus rules when victims belonged to this group.
According to the complaint, this conduct sent a clear message of exclusion. It claims that Israeli students faced barriers to equal access to education. The administration links these claims to violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bans discrimination in federally funded programs.
Harvard rejected the accusations and vowed to fight the lawsuit. A university spokesperson described the case as a retaliatory move. The spokesperson said the administration wants to force federal control over the institution. Harvard also highlighted steps it has taken to address antisemitism, including expanded training and stricter disciplinary processes. The university adopted the infamous International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism, which equates criticism of Israel with antisemitism.
The legal action forms part of a broader campaign by Trump’s administration against major US universities. Trump has repeatedly attacked elite schools, accusing them of promoting antisemitism and “radical left” ideologies. His administration has used threats to cut or reclaim federal funding as leverage to push for policy changes.
Several universities have faced similar pressure. Columbia University agreed last July to pay $220 million to restore federal research funding. The Justice Department also sued the University of California over alleged antisemitism at its Los Angeles campus.
The complaint against Harvard largely revisits earlier incidents rather than presenting new allegations. Still, it carries significant financial implications. The filing notes that Harvard expects to receive more than $2.6 billion from the US Department of Health and Human Services alone. The administration now seeks to recover federal grants issued during periods of alleged noncompliance and to freeze ongoing funding.
The lawsuit also calls for the appointment of an independent monitor approved by the federal government.
US Attorney General Pamela Bondi said the case reflects a wider effort to address antisemitism in education. She claimed that too many institutions have allowed such behavior to persist since October 7, 2023, and stressed the administration’s intent to hold them accountable.
At the Israeli-American Council, US Bondi had boasted about her work against universities, saying the US Department of Justice had begun suing anti-Israel protesters under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act for the first time and had pursued large antisemitism-related settlements with universities.
Tensions between Harvard and the White House have intensified over the past year. In one case, US District Judge Allison Burroughs ruled that the administration illegally canceled more than $2 billion in Harvard research grants. She also blocked an attempt to bar international students from attending the university. The administration has appealed both rulings.
Another federal judge, Richard Stearns, will now oversee the latest lawsuit.
The outcome may have wide implications. It could influence funding policies, campus governance, and the balance of power between the federal government and higher education institutions across the United States.
