President Donald Trump has ordered a freeze on more than $2 billion in federal funding allocated to Harvard University after the institution refused to comply with a set of demands from the White House aimed at combating antisemitism on campus.
The White House outlined the measures as part of a broader effort to address rising concerns over antisemitism in U.S. higher education. The proposals included sweeping changes to Harvard’s governance, hiring practices, admissions procedures, and academic oversight.
In a statement released on Monday, Harvard President Alan Garber rejected the conditions, describing them as an infringement on the university’s autonomy.
“Harvard will not surrender its independence or compromise its constitutional rights,” Garber wrote in a letter to students and faculty. “While we remain committed to combating antisemitism, many of the demands represent direct government intervention in academic affairs.”
Shortly after Harvard’s response, the U.S. Department of Education announced it would immediately suspend $2.2 billion in federal grants and an additional $60 million in contractual funding designated for the university.
“Harvard’s reaction illustrates the sense of entitlement entrenched in elite institutions,” the department said in a statement. “The harassment of Jewish students must end. It is time for universities to take this crisis seriously.”
According to documents from the administration, the proposed requirements included: reporting students who are deemed “hostile” to American values, ensuring ideological diversity in academic departments, engaging third-party reviewers approved by the government to monitor departments accused of antisemitism, terminating Harvard’s diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, and disciplining students involved in past campus protests.
Harvard is the first major U.S. university to publicly reject the White House’s demands. President Trump has repeatedly criticized elite institutions for allegedly failing to protect Jewish students, particularly during recent pro-Palestinian demonstrations in response to the conflict in Gaza and U.S. support for Israel.
The funding freeze follows earlier scrutiny of Harvard, including the resignation of former President Claudine Gay in 2023 after her controversial remarks on antisemitism sparked national backlash.
The Trump administration began reviewing Harvard’s federal funding in March, prompting legal action from some faculty members who argue that the government’s intervention threatens academic freedom and freedom of expression.
This move comes after the administration withdrew $400 million in federal funding from Columbia University, which subsequently agreed to implement parts of the White House’s proposed policies. Columbia has also faced controversy over the detention of students involved in pro-Palestinian protests by immigration authorities.
Federal officials have warned that additional universities may face similar consequences if they fail to adopt measures the administration deems necessary to address antisemitism.
