US President Donald Trump’s administration will review billions of dollars in federal funds at Harvard University amid crackdowns over pro-Palestinian protests on US campuses.
The announcement comes amid similar negotiations between the Trump administration and Columbia University, which have more than $400 million in federal funds from the New York-based Ivy League School. Colombia recently agreed to a series of requests from the administration to keep the funds flowing, but the US government has not confirmed whether it will restore the contract and restore the suspended grants.
There are details about what’s going on at Harvard.
Why is the Trump administration value Harvard’s funds?
On Monday, the Department of Education, Health and Human Services and the Department of General Services issued a statement saying they would consider federal contracts and grants at Harvard University.
The statement added that the Joint Task Force on Fighting Anti-Semitism will consider $255.6 million in a contract between the federal government, Harvard University and its affiliates. It also reviews more than $8.7 billion in its multi-year grant commitments to Harvard and its affiliates.
The task force was established in response to Trump’s January 29 executive order, called “Additional measures to combat anti-Semitism,” the Justice Department announced on February 3.
The executive order is aimed at officially targeting anti-Semitism. This has skyrocketed across the US and worldwide since October 7, 2023, when Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups attacked Israel, killing more than 1,100 people. Since then, Israel’s brutal war against Gaza has killed more than 50,000 people in the enclave.
But in reality, the order laid the grounds that the Trump administration has sought clear evidence linking them to anti-Semitism or pro-Hama activities in order to seek the deportation of several international students who participated in pro-Palestinian campuses across the United States last year.
The executive order also serves as a basis for targeting universities who claim that the Trump administration hasn’t done enough to crack down on the protests.
“The task force’s top priority is to eradicate anti-Semitic harassment on schools and university campuses,” the Justice Department said in a statement.
“Harvard University has put its reputation at serious risk while not protecting students on campus from anti-Semitic discrimination — all with free investigations and promoting divisive ideology,” the statement cites Education Secretary Linda McMahon.
“Harvard can correct these mistakes and return them to a campus that specializes in academic excellence and seeks truth, where all students feel safe on campus,” McMahon said.
What happened at Harvard?
On April 24, 2024, pro-Palestinian student protesters established an encampment on a campus site called Harvard Yard in solidarity with the Palestinians of Gaza.
Harvard University was one of several such camps that appeared at American universities, called Harvard from occupied Palestine (Hoops). They requested, among other things, their universities to sell from arms companies and businesses associated with Israel.
On May 6, Harvard President Alangerber issued a statement saying that Hoop had disrupted the institute’s educational activities. “The right to free speech, including protests and objections, is essential to the work of a research university, but it is not unlimited,” Gerber said.
“The camp supports a fewer voices than the rights of many who disrupt the way they learn and work at a critical period of the semester. I call on people who will join the camp to end the occupation of Harvard Yard.”
On May 14, university and student protesters announced that they had reached an agreement to close the camp. However, both sides issued various statements, saying students said Harvard University agreed to their demands and that the university was open only to dialogue about the demands.
For example, when it comes to demand for sale from Israel, Harvard said it agreed that it would be more transparent with students about how its contributions work.
Before the camp began, in January 2024, Gerber established two presidential task forces on campus. One is dedicated to fighting anti-Semitism, and the other is dedicated to combat bias against Muslims and Arabs.
On March 29, 82 of Harvard Law School’s 118 active professors signed a letter addressed to student groups, denounced the federal government retaliation against law firms and lawyers representing clients, and accusing the Trump administration of opposition.
Trump has signed a presidential lawsuit targeting a law firm related to former US special adviser, Robert Mueller, who investigated Trump’s 2016 presidential election and Russia’s relationship. Trump’s orders seek to restrict lawyers’ access to federal buildings and courts.
What happens if Trump cuts Harvard funds?
Harvard President Gerber issued a statement Monday in response to the Trump administration’s announcement on funding assessments.
“If this funding stops, life-saving research will halt and put important scientific research and innovation at risk,” Gerber said.
However, the Trump administration suggested in a statement that Harvard University was involved in negotiations with the government on its demand.
“We are delighted that Harvard is pleased to be involved with us on these goals,” said Sean Quebeney, a member of the Task Force and Deputy Health and Welfare Advisors, in a statement Monday.
What happened to Columbia University?
Columbia appeared as the epicenter of pro-Palestinian campus protests in 2024 after the first camp was pitched on April 17th last year.
Columbia protesters occupied Hamilton Hall, an academic building on campus on April 30, and the university then called New York police to crack down on student protesters.
In February this year, the Trump administration revoked $400 million in federal funds to Columbia, saying it “didn’t protect Jewish students from anti-Semite harassment.”
On March 8, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested Mahmoud Khalil, 29, a recent Colombian graduate who was a prominent figure in negotiations with the university during a campus protest last year. The US government is currently trying to expel Halil, who had a green card at the time of his arrest and is being held at an ice processing facility in Jena, Louisiana.
On March 5, the US Department of State cancelled the visa for Ranjani Srinivasan, a candidate for urban planning PhD at Columbia University. Four days later, Columbia introduced her. Before Srinivasan flew to Canada on March 11, she was sometimes deported.
On March 13th this year, the Joint Task Force to Fight Anti-Semitism issued a letter to Colombia, outlining nine prerequisites for negotiations to restore funds. On March 18, the university accepted the government’s demands and listed the new rules in a memo sent to the Trump administration.
Some of these rules prohibit students from putting their faces in masks with the aim of hiding their identity, as they are asked to determine that they must present the university’s identification. However, for religious or medical reasons, face masks are still permitted.
Columbia also said it had hired 36 security guards with special authority to arrest students “if necessary,” adding that the university has long-standing ties with New York Police and relies on the military for additional security assistance.
Additionally, the new Senior Provost will oversee the Colombian division, which offers Middle Eastern courses.