President Donald Trump’s administration holds a tight boundary against top American universities about Palestinian protests and their response to their diversity initiatives and curriculum.
Harvard University’s move to block foreign students from registering Thursday says it is rooted in unfounded claims of anti-Semitism that critics are ramping about.
In a statement, Homeland Security Department Christie Noem said the administration would “have responsibility for Harvard’s violence, anti-Semitism and coordination with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus.”
Harvard calls the latest moves “illegal” and “retaliation action.”
Here’s how we got here:
December 2023: Following the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel and the resulting Israeli attack, the standoffs have been traced back, killing at least 53,655 Palestinians.
Testimony before then-Harvard President Claudine Gaye’s Congress in the past Congress raises outrage over the administration’s response to Palestinian protests, as elected officials, particularly Republicans, are calling for greater crackdown.
Gay then resigned from her post and was replaced by Alan Gerber in August 2024.
January 2025: Trump took office in January 2025, following a campaign that vowed to crack down on pro-Palestinian protests, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and “awakening ideology” on university campuses.
Trump will also sign a series of executive orders calling for government agencies to take action against DEI programs at private institutions, including universities, and increase government actions to combat anti-Semitism, particularly on campus.
February 2025: The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) launches a task force to “Eliminate anti-Semitic harassment on school and university campuses.”
The task force later announced it would visit 10 schools, saying it was “aware of allegations that the school may have potentially violated federal law and failed to protect Jewish students and faculty from illegal discrimination.”
Schools include Harvard University, Columbia University, George Washington University, Johns Hopkins University, New York University, Northwestern University, University of California, University of Los Angeles, University of California, Berkeley, University of Minnesota and University of Southern California.
March 7, 2025: The Trump administration took the first step against US universities, cutting $400 million in federal funds to Columbia University and denounced “continued omissions in the face of permanent harassment of Jewish students.”
Subsequent letters from the Department of Education warn Harvard University and numerous other universities about “potential enforcement measures.”
March 21, 2025: Columbia will give Trump’s demands, including banning facial masks, strengthening campus police arrest powers, and setting up new administrators to oversee the Center for Middle East, South Asia, and African Studies and Palestinian Studies.
March 31, 2025: The U.S. Department of Education (ED), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the U.S. General Services Agency (GSA) will be releasing an official review of $255.6 million and a multi-year grant of $8.7 billion in Harvard agreements.
The review is part of “the joint task force’s continued efforts to combat anti-Semitism,” the statement said.
April 11, 2025: Harvard has been sent a letter saying that the university “failed to meet both intellectual and civil rights that justify federal investment,” listing several Trump administration requests.
The request will include overhauling governance that reduces the power of students and some staff, reforming employment and admission practices, refusing to recognize students deemed “hostile to American values and institutions,” abolishing diversity programs and auditing several academic programs and centers related to the Middle East.
April 14, 2025: Harvard President Gerber strongly rejects the request, writing, “Universities will not waive their independence or waive their constitutional rights.”
The US administration has announced an immediate freeze on funding, including $2.2 billion in multi-year grants and $60 million in multi-year agreements.
April 15, 2025: In the Social Post of Truth, Trump floats that Harvard University will “lose tax-free status and be taxed as a political entity.” He denounces Harvard University for being “inspired by political, ideological and terrorist-inspired and supporting “disease.”
April 16, 2025: The Department of Homeland Security is calling on Harvard to carry on record of “illegal and violent activities” by foreign students, threatening to revoke approval of the university’s student and exchange visitor program. Certification is required to register international students. Noem gives this April 30th deadline.
April 21, 2025: Harvard has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, accusing him of violating the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution with “arbitrary and whimsical” funding.
April 30, 2025: Harvard states that it shared information requested by the NOEM about foreign students but has not made public the nature of the information provided.
May 2, 2025: Trump says once again the administration will take Harvard’s tax-free status. No action will be taken immediately.
May 5, 2025: The Trump administration says it is cutting all new federal grants to Harvard.
May 13, 2025: The US Task Force to Fight Anti-Semitism Announces an additional $450 million in federal funding from eight federal agencies.
May 19, 2025: DOJ announces it will use false claims laws, which are typically used to punish federal funding recipients accused of corruption, cracking down on universities like Harvard over DEI policy. The Department of Health and Human Services also said it has ended $60 million in federal grants to Harvard.
May 22, 2025: NOEM announces the cancellation of Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program, blocking new foreign students from enrollment, and states that current students must transfer to continue their research.
Harvard responds: “We are fully committed to maintaining Harvard’s ability to host universities from more than 140 countries and international students and academics that will enrich the country.”