Trump Administration Pulls More Funding from Harvard Amid Controversy

• Trump pulls federal funds from Harvard.
• Harvard accused of discrimination.
• University sues the government.

The Trump administration has announced it will withdraw another $450 million in federal funding from Harvard University, escalating its conflict with one of the most prestigious academic institutions in the United States.

This decision comes on top of the $2.2 billion that was already cut last week, highlighting the deteriorating relationship between the Trump administration and the university.

The “Federal Task Force to Combat Antisemitism,” created by President Trump, issued a statement explaining the measure.

The group claimed that Harvard is “a breeding ground for virtue signaling and discrimination,” and criticized the institution for allegedly failing to adequately address racial discrimination and antisemitic harassment on its campus.

Trump administration pulls federal funds from Harvard

The Trump administration pulls another $450 million in funding from Harvard
https://t.co/zsGJLBksdd
— infoLibre (@_infoLibre) May 13, 2025

According to the task force, Harvard has prioritized appeasement over accountability, which they argue has caused the university to lose its entitlement to taxpayer support.

This strong rhetoric stands in contrast to Harvard’s reputation as a center of academic excellence.

The dispute escalated after Secretary of Education Linda McMahon sent a letter to Harvard President Alan Garber warning that the university would no longer receive new federal grants.

In her letter, McMahon accused the institution of “mocking” the American educational system.

Harvard Responds to the Criticism

Garber responded in a more measured tone, stating that although Harvard and the government share similar goals, their approaches differ.

He emphasized that the university would not yield to government pressure regarding its affirmative action policies.

Harvard, which has been the only university to reject Trump’s demands regarding affirmative action policies, has taken legal action to recover the federal funds.

The university has faced harsh criticism from the president, who labeled the institution a “threat to democracy” and an “antisemitic” entity.

This conflict adds to the defunding that Columbia University also experienced in March, according to the EFE news agency.

While Columbia agreed to comply with the government’s requirements to recover its funding, the institution is still negotiating how to return the funds.

With this decision, the Trump administration makes it clear that it will continue to pressure universities that do not align with its political vision, using federal funding as a tool to enforce its agenda.

YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED IN: Trump Promises Historic Drug Price Cuts of Up to 80%