WASHINGTON: Education Secretary Linda McMahon announced Monday that the federal government will cease providing new grants to Harvard University, escalating a contentious battle between the Trump administration and the prestigious Ivy League institution. McMahon cited Harvard’s alleged failure to uphold legal obligations, ethical duties, and academic rigor, stating the school had “made a mockery” of the higher education system.
In a letter shared on social media, McMahon questioned the origins and qualifications of some Harvard students, asking, “Where do many of these ‘students’ come from, who are they, how do they get into Harvard, or even into our country — and why is there so much HATE?” She accused the university of violating federal law and lacking transparency.
This move follows a broader crackdown by the administration, including a freeze on $2.2 billion in federal funding, numerous investigations into Harvard’s operations, and threats to the education of international students. The administration is also reportedly considering revoking Harvard’s tax-exempt status.
The conflict centers on the administration’s claims that Harvard has become a hotbed of “leftist ideology and antisemitism.” Harvard officials, in turn, have vehemently denied these accusations and argue that the government’s actions are unconstitutional and unlawful infringements on the university’s autonomy.
The dispute intensified after a multiagency Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism announced in March that it was reviewing nearly $9 billion in federal funding allocated to Harvard. The administration subsequently froze $2.2 billion in funding after Harvard reportedly rejected its demands. Last month, Harvard filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration in an attempt to block the withholding of federal funding as a means of influencing academic decision-making.
Harvard, the nation’s oldest and wealthiest university, and the Trump administration remain locked in a high-stakes legal and political battle with significant implications for the future of federal funding for higher education and the autonomy of academic institutions.
