Harvard, the nation's oldest and wealthiest university, took the Trump administration to court on Monday over "sweeping and intrusive demands" and the freezing of $2.2 billion in funding. A status conference was held in Massachusetts District Court one week after the university filed a 51-page lawsuit. It names several members of Trump's cabinet, including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Attorney General Pam Bondi and Education Secretary Linda McMahon.As a result of the hearing, arguments in the lawsuit were scheduled for July 21. In a letter to Harvard earlier this month, the administration announced it was freezing more than $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts while demanding broad leadership reforms and changes to admissions policies. It also demanded that the university audit views of diversity on campus, and stop recognizing some student clubs.The federal government said almost $9 billion in grants and contracts in total were at risk if Harvard did not comply.Video below: Harvard files lawsuitAside from threatening the university's funding, the Trump administration also revoked the visas of several Harvard international students, considered revoking the school's tax-exempt status and investigated the university's operations.Harvard President Alan Garber said the university would not bend to the government's demands. He argued in a statement that the administration's actions violate the First Amendment and exceed the government's authority under Title VI, which prohibits discrimination against students based on their race, color or national origin. "The consequences of the government’s overreach will be severe and long-lasting. Research that the government has put in jeopardy includes efforts to improve the prospects of children who survive cancer," Garber wrote. "Before taking punitive action, the law requires that the federal government engage with us about the ways we are fighting and will continue to fight antisemitism. Instead, the government’s April 11 demands seek to control whom we hire and what we teach."Video below: Administration takes aim at HarvardGarber also acknowledged that the administration's penalizing focus on the school stemmed from its response to 2024 campus protests amid the war in Gaza. Trump has promised a more aggressive approach against antisemitism on campus, accusing former President Joe Biden of letting schools off the hook. Trump's administration has opened new investigations at colleges and detained and deported several foreign students with ties to pro-Palestinian protests.Video below: Campus protest against Trump's actionsThe Associated Press contributed to this report.
BOSTON —
Harvard, the nation's oldest and wealthiest university, took the Trump administration to court on Monday over "sweeping and intrusive demands" and the freezing of $2.2 billion in funding.
A status conference was held in Massachusetts District Court one week after the university filed a 51-page lawsuit. It names several members of Trump's cabinet, including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Attorney General Pam Bondi and Education Secretary Linda McMahon.
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As a result of the hearing, arguments in the lawsuit were scheduled for July 21.
In a letter to Harvard earlier this month, the administration announced it was freezing more than $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts while demanding broad leadership reforms and changes to admissions policies. It also demanded that the university audit views of diversity on campus, and stop recognizing some student clubs.
The federal government said almost $9 billion in grants and contracts in total were at risk if Harvard did not comply.
Video below: Harvard files lawsuit
Aside from threatening the university's funding, the Trump administration also revoked the visas of several Harvard international students, considered revoking the school's tax-exempt status and investigated the university's operations.
Harvard President Alan Garber said the university would not bend to the government's demands. He argued in a statement that the administration's actions violate the First Amendment and exceed the government's authority under Title VI, which prohibits discrimination against students based on their race, color or national origin.
"The consequences of the government’s overreach will be severe and long-lasting. Research that the government has put in jeopardy includes efforts to improve the prospects of children who survive cancer," Garber wrote. "Before taking punitive action, the law requires that the federal government engage with us about the ways we are fighting and will continue to fight antisemitism. Instead, the government’s April 11 demands seek to control whom we hire and what we teach."
Video below: Administration takes aim at Harvard
Garber also acknowledged that the administration's penalizing focus on the school stemmed from its response to 2024 campus protests amid the war in Gaza.
Trump has promised a more aggressive approach against antisemitism on campus, accusing former President Joe Biden of letting schools off the hook. Trump's administration has opened new investigations at colleges and detained and deported several foreign students with ties to pro-Palestinian protests.
Video below: Campus protest against Trump's actions
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
