CAMBRIDGE, USA – The Trump administration has moved to freeze more than $2 billion in federal funds for Harvard University, hours after the elite institution rejected a list of demands from the White House aimed at combating antisemitism on campus.
The move is a significant escalation in the ongoing pressure from the federal government on universities to address what it deems as inadequate responses to antisemitic incidents.
In a statement issued by the Department of Education, it was stated that the freeze would affect $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts, following Harvard’s refusal to comply with the administration’s requests.
The White House had sent an “updated and expanded list of demands” to the university on Friday, April 11, 2025, demanding changes in its governance, hiring practices, and policies related to academic freedom.
These included ensuring departments are “viewpoint diverse,” reporting students deemed “hostile” to American values, and hiring external parties to audit academic programs for antisemitism.
Harvard rejected these demands, with its president, Alan Garber, asserting that the university would not surrender its independence or compromise its constitutional rights.
He maintained that while Harvard takes the fight against antisemitism seriously, the government’s demands were overreaching and would lead to unnecessary government control over the university’s intellectual environment.
This situation is part of a broader push by the Trump administration to pressure universities across the United States to take stronger actions against antisemitism, especially in light of the protests and tensions that have emerged since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war.
Harvard’s rejection marks the first time a major U.S. university has defied such pressure, with the federal government threatening further consequences unless universities align with its views.
