President Donald Trump’s administration has escalated its actions against top U.S. universities, including Harvard, over various contentious issues such as pro-Palestinian protests, transgender rights, and diversity programs. The administration has demanded records on foreign funding and ties, with threats to withhold federal funding from non-compliant institutions. This move has sparked criticism from rights advocates who view it as an attack on free speech and academic freedom.
Harvard, in response, emphasized its compliance with reporting requirements on foreign donations and contracts exceeding $250,000 annually. The university defended its transparency and stated that it has been fulfilling these obligations for many years. The Trump administration’s recent demands also extend to information on expelled foreign students, research by these individuals, and affiliations with foreign governments among Harvard’s visitors, students, and faculty.
Furthermore, recent actions by the Trump administration include a review of federal contracts and grants to Harvard, calls for restrictions like mask bans and diversity program removal, and threats to revoke the university’s tax-exempt status. Despite facing pressure, Harvard has pushed back against what it perceives as government overreach, leading to a freeze on a significant portion of its funding.
Trump’s targeting of universities over their responses to global events, notably protests related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, has drawn backlash from protesters and advocacy groups. The administration’s efforts to link these protests to extremism and antisemitism have been met with resistance, with some groups accusing the administration of misconstruing legitimate criticisms of Israel’s actions as support for radicalism.
In addition to Harvard, other universities like Columbia, Princeton, Brown, University of Pennsylvania, Cornell, and Northwestern have also faced funding freezes or cancellations as part of the Trump administration’s broader crackdown on academic institutions.
