The U.S. federal government has announced a freeze on over $2.2 billion (€1.9 billion) in grants and $60 million (€52.9 million) in contracts to Harvard University, following the institution’s refusal to meet demands made by the Trump administration.
The freeze came just hours after Harvard rejected a series of requests, which the university’s president argued would undermine its academic freedom. In a letter sent to the university on Friday, the federal government outlined sweeping reforms in governance and leadership that it sought at Harvard. Among the key demands was the termination of all diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. The government warned that nearly $9 billion (€7.9 billion) in grants and contracts could be at risk if Harvard failed to comply.
On Monday, Harvard President Alan Garber firmly stated that the university would not yield to the federal government’s pressure.
“The university will not sacrifice its independence or abandon its constitutional rights,” Garber wrote in a letter to the Harvard community.
“No government — regardless of which party holds power — should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and employ, or the fields of study and inquiry they may pursue,” he added.
Since beginning his second term in January, President Donald Trump has targeted some of the nation’s top universities, accusing them of promoting left-wing ideologies. The administration has also criticized institutions like Harvard for allegedly allowing antisemitism to persist during campus protests opposing Israel’s war in Gaza last year.
