Posted on Wednesday, April 16, 2025
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by Alan Jamison
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2 Comments
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President Donald Trump has stripped Harvard University of $2.2 billion in federal funding for refusing to adhere to the administration’s demands that higher education institutions take concrete steps to eliminate antisemitism as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and initiatives. Harvard President Alan Garber chose not to comply and is pushing back, setting the stage for what could be a contentious legal battle.
The Trump administration’s Joint Task Force to Combat Antisemitism announced a comprehensive review of Harvard University’s $9 billion in federal grants and contracts in late March. That was followed by guidance for what steps the school must implement to maintain this federal funding.
The administration explained in this guidance that Harvard “has fundamentally failed to protect American students and faculty from antisemitic violence and harassment.” Anti-Israel protesters stormed Harvard’s campus last year and formed a controversial 20-day encampment that resulted in the university’s previous president resigning.
The administration demanded in the guidance that Harvard review departments “that fuel antisemitic harassment,” ban masks used to conceal identities, adopt a “merit-based admissions process,” and end DEI programs.
Garber released a statement Monday claiming that the Trump administration provided an expanded list of demands a few days prior. He said that the administration’s guidance threatens the university’s “values as a private institution devoted to the pursuit, production, and dissemination of knowledge.” Garber explained that he would not comply as a result.
Mike Benz, who serves as president of the Foundation for Freedom Online, responded to Garber explaining that Harvard is taking federal funding despite being a private university. “Okay right but you’re taking $9 billion from that government. If you want to be a private university, be private, and stop taking our money,” Benz wrote on X.
The Trump administration made the decision to freeze $2.2 billion in federal funding from Harvard for not complying. Trump suggested that Harvard should also lose its status as a tax-exempt entity for refusing to take basic measures to combat antisemitism and other discriminatory practices on campus.
“Perhaps Harvard should lose its Tax Exempt Status and be Taxed as a Political Entity if it keeps pushing political, ideological, and terrorist inspired/supporting ‘Sickness?’” he posted on Truth Social. “Remember, Tax Exempt Status is totally contingent on acting in the PUBLIC INTEREST!”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the administration is only asking Harvard not to break federal law and that the president’s demands need to be taken seriously. She reiterated Trump’s idea of possibly eliminating the university’s tax-exempt status.
“I think the president is also begging a good question,” Leavitt said at a press briefing. “More than $2 billion out the door to Harvard when they have a more than $50 billion endowment. Why are the American taxpayers subsidizing a university that has billions of dollars in the bank already? And we certainly should not be funding a place where such grave antisemitism exists.”
Alan Jamison is the pen name of a political writer with extensive experience writing for several notable politicians and news outlets.
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