The US Department of Education informed Harvard University on Monday that it was freezing billions of dollars in research grants and other aid until the elite university concedes to demands from President Donald Trump's administration, a senior department official said.
The move represents the latest salvo from a Trump administration willing to use the power of the federal purse to force institutions – from law firms to universities – to make sweeping policy changes or lose billions in federal grants and contracts.
It has taken aim at Harvard over allegations of anti-Semitism on campus during pro-Palestinian protests, which were sparked by US ally Israel's military assault on Gaza after the October 2023 attack on Israel by Palestinian militants.
In recent weeks, the Trump administration has escalated its action against Harvard. It began a formal review into nearly $9 billion in federal funding, demanded the university ban diversity, equity and inclusion practices, and crack down on some pro-Palestinian groups and use of masks in protests.
Harvard rejected numerous Trump administration demands last month, calling them an attack on free speech and academic freedom. It sued the Trump administration after it suspended about $2.3 billion in federal funding, while also pledging to tackle discrimination on campus.
"The Trump administration won't stand by as taxpayer dollars are used to support colleges that have tolerated anti-Semitism or that support racist policies," a senior Education Department official said.
