Overview

• The Trump administration has frozen $2.2 billion in federal grants to Harvard after the university refused demands to end diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and conduct opinion audits.
• President Trump has threatened to revoke Harvard's tax-exempt status, accusing the institution of fostering antisemitism and ideological extremism.
• Harvard President Alan Garber reaffirmed the university's commitment to its constitutional rights and rejected federal demands as violations of the First Amendment.
• The administration's actions are part of a broader campaign targeting elite universities, with Columbia University previously losing $400 million in federal funding before implementing reforms.
• This escalating conflict highlights tensions over academic freedom, federal influence, and ideological battles on U.S. campuses, particularly in the context of protests related to the Gaza conflict.