Overview

• Harvard University has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's freeze of $2.2 billion in research funding, citing unconstitutional overreach and improper government control.
• More than 250 colleges and universities, led by Harvard, signed a joint statement organized by the AAC&U rejecting coercive funding measures and calling for constructive engagement.
• The Trump administration has paused or threatened billions in federal funding and imposed demands targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, citing concerns about antisemitism and campus protests.
• Columbia University, initially absent from the statement, has now joined the coalition, signaling growing solidarity across higher education institutions.
• Prominent figures such as Deborah Lipstadt and ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt have praised aspects of the administration's focus on combating antisemitism but expressed concerns over its methods and broader implications for academic freedom.