The Trump administration has announced an escalation in its actions against Harvard University by terminating an additional $450 million in grants, citing the institution’s inadequate responses to antisemitism on campus. This move follows a previous cancellation of $2.2 billion in federal funding, bringing the total financial penalty to approximately $2.65 billion. The administration’s taskforce to combat antisemitism criticized Harvard for what they perceive as a lack of leadership and academic freedom, accusing the campus of fostering discrimination and virtue signaling.

Harvard, known for its academic prestige and substantial endowment, has stood firm against the administration’s demands, which included shutting down diversity programs and cooperating with federal immigration authorities. The university’s president, Dr. Alan Garber, has labeled the previous attacks as “illegal demands” aimed at controlling academic freedom.

The Trump administration justifies the funding cuts by accusing Harvard of failing to address race discrimination and antisemitic harassment on its campus. Despite Harvard’s internal investigations into these allegations, the administration remains unsatisfied. Nationwide campus protests continue, with students at various universities expressing solidarity with causes such as divesting from Israel and staging hunger strikes in support of Gaza.

The latest funding reductions signify a flexing of federal power over one of the oldest and wealthiest universities in the US, signaling a broader discontent with institutions perceived as politically liberal. Harvard’s defiance in the face of these measures highlights the ongoing tensions between the administration and academic institutions.