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Harvard Moves to Reverse $2.5 Billion Federal Funding Freeze

Harvard asserts internal communications prove the White House ordered billions in research grants frozen, threatening vital health and national security projects.

Students walk on the campus of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S., May 23, 2025.   REUTERS/Faith Ninivaggi/File Photo
Harvard University graduates attend the university's 374th commencement ceremony on May 29, 2025 in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
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Overview

  • Harvard filed a motion for summary judgment to unfreeze roughly $2.5 billion in federal research grants, with arguments scheduled before Judge Allison Burroughs on July 21.
  • The university cited internal Trump administration records showing a White House directive ordered agencies to halt Harvard funding without assessing its antisemitism measures.
  • Federal stoppages have paused or terminated projects on pediatric HIV, cancer and Parkinson’s treatments, emerging biological threats awareness and dark energy research.
  • A federal judge extended a temporary order blocking the administration’s revocation of Harvard’s ability to host international students, giving the university a 30-day window to demonstrate compliance.
  • Harvard contends that the funding freeze breaches its First Amendment protections and regulatory rights under the Administrative Procedure Act and highlights its documented steps to address campus antisemitism.