Harvard University Hit by $450 Million Federal Cut Over Antisemitism Claims
Harvard University. X/ @RRNupdates
May 14, 2025 Hour: 8:36 am
The U.S. government overreach is threatening key freedoms, warned Harvard University President Garber.
The Joint Task Force to Combat Antisemitism terminated US$450 million in grants to Harvard University on Tuesday, a day after the institution’s president criticized the administration of President Donald Trump for threatening key freedoms.
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The latest cuts are on top of more than US$2.2 billion in federal funds that were frozen last month. Harvard is suing the U.S. administration over demands the government made over its academic and disciplinary policies.
On Monday, Harvard University President Alan Garber wrote to Education Secretary Linda McMahon to deny her allegation that the school has a partisan political bias, warning that government “overreach” is threatening key freedoms.
The government coalition slammed Harvard in a letter on Tuesday for failing to confront “pervasive race discrimination and antisemitic harassment.”
At the end of March, the task force announced it would review approximately US$9 billion in federal funds allocated to Harvard and its affiliates.
On April 11, officials from the U.S. administration sent a letter to Harvard University, urging it to implement meaningful governance reforms and restructuring, or face cuts to federal funding.
On April 14, Harvard rejected the U.S. administration’s demands. Later that evening, the administration announced it would freeze US$2.2 billion in multiyear grants and US$60 million in multiyear contract funds for the university.
The administration has also threatened to revoke Harvard’s eligibility to admit international students, planned to strip the university of its tax-exempt status, and launched multiple investigations into the academic institution.
Since January, the U.S. federal government has issued threats to several U.S. universities, warning them of potential funding cuts if they fail to adjust their policies.
The Trump administration’s main demands include eliminating what it describes as antisemitism on campus and dismantling diversity initiatives that favor certain minority groups.
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Source: Xinhua