The Trump administration has formally barred Harvard University from receiving any future federal research grants, intensifying an already fraught dispute over allegations of anti-Semitism and what officials describe as a broader failure to uphold academic standards.
In a letter sent to the university on Monday, US Education Secretary Linda McMahon declared that Harvard would “cease to be a publicly funded institution,” urging it instead to rely on its substantial endowment and alumni contributions. The decision follows last month’s freeze of approximately $2.3 billion in federal funding, a move widely criticised in academic and legal circles.
“Harvard has made a mockery of higher education and disrespected the values on which this country is built,” McMahon wrote, accusing the institution of refusing oversight measures aimed at ensuring “viewpoint diversity” and failing to address what the administration says is pervasive anti-Semitism on campus.
McMahon, who previously served as the CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, echoed rhetoric frequently used by former President Donald Trump, raising concerns about foreign student admissions and alleged hostility toward the United States within elite academic spaces.
“Where do many of these ‘students’ come from, who are they, and how do they get into Harvard, or even into our country – and why is there so much HATE?” the letter read, employing the former president’s characteristic use of capital letters.
Harvard, in a sharply-worded statement, decried the move as retaliatory, alleging that the administration was punishing the university for initiating legal proceedings over the earlier funding freeze.
“Today’s letter makes new threats to illegally withhold funding for lifesaving research and innovation in retaliation against Harvard for filing its lawsuit on April 21,” a university spokesperson said, warning that the implications of the decision could extend well beyond the university.
Experts say the move is unprecedented in modern American higher education, with legal scholars warning it may violate existing federal grant laws and constitutional protections related to academic freedom.
In reports released last month, Harvard task forces acknowledged the presence of both anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim sentiment on campus. Harvard President Alan Garber responded by pledging to redouble efforts to foster an inclusive environment, while cautioning against “external political interference” in university governance.
“This university must remain a place where mutual respect is the norm and all members of our community—regardless of background—feel they belong,” Garber said.
The row with Harvard is the latest in a series of confrontations between the Trump administration and American universities, which the former president and his allies have frequently criticised for what they describe as liberal indoctrination and suppression of conservative viewpoints.
Analysts suggest the standoff could have wide-reaching consequences, both legally and for the future of federal-university partnerships in the US.
