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31m ago

Trump Demands $500 Million From Harvard to Restore Frozen Federal Research Funds

The public ultimatum follows a freeze of more than $2.6 billion in Harvard research funding that the university is contesting in federal court.

Harvard banners hang in front of Widener Library during the 374th Harvard Commencement in Harvard Yard in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on May 29, 2025.
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Overview

  • At a Cabinet meeting, President Trump told Education Secretary Linda McMahon, "We want nothing less than $500 million from Harvard. Don’t negotiate," marking the first time the White House publicly attached a specific figure to the case.
  • Harvard has asked U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs for a ruling before Sept. 3, the date it says it must begin closing out federally funded projects if the freeze remains in place.
  • Multiple outlets reported progress toward a $500 million settlement to restore funding, a characterization Harvard President Alan Garber has disputed as inaccurate, with talks ongoing and no agreement announced.
  • The administration has cited settlements with other universities as models, including Columbia’s more than $220 million package with an independent monitor and Brown’s $50 million in grants to Rhode Island workforce groups that avoided direct federal payments.
  • The White House frames its actions as combating antisemitism linked to campus protests, while Harvard has filed two lawsuits over the funding cuts and student enrollment restrictions, arguing the government overstepped its authority.