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3d ago

Trump Administration and Harvard Clash Escalates Over $2.2 Billion Funding Freeze

Harvard's lawsuit challenges federal demands and funding cuts, as Trump intensifies rhetoric and IRS reviews tax-exempt status.

Demonstrators rally on Cambridge Common in a protest organized by the City of Cambridge calling on Harvard leadership to resist federal government interference at the university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S. April 12, 2025. REUTERS/Nicholas Pfosi/File Photo
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Students protest the war in Gaza and passersby walk in Harvard Yard on April 25, 2024, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Harvard University is reflected in the window of a merchandise store across the street from the university's campus.

Overview

  • The Trump administration froze $2.2 billion in federal funding to Harvard after the university rejected demands to eliminate diversity programs and increase oversight on campus governance.
  • Harvard filed a federal lawsuit on April 21, arguing the funding freeze violates constitutional protections and constitutes unlawful government overreach.
  • President Trump called Harvard an 'antisemitic, far-left institution' and a 'threat to democracy' in a Truth Social post, escalating public criticism of the university.
  • The Trump Organization terminated lawyer William Burck after Trump objected to his representation of Harvard while serving as a legal adviser to the company.
  • The IRS is reportedly reviewing Harvard’s tax-exempt status, adding to the mounting political and financial pressures on the university.