Harvard Sues Trump Administration For Attempting To Withhold Billions In Federal Grants

Harvard University has filed a lawsuit against the Donald Trump administration in a federal court, challenging a threat to cut billions in research funding unless the school adheres to a range of controversial demands.

The lawsuit is an escalation in the ongoing conflicts between elite universities and federal authorities.

What Happened: Filed in Massachusetts, the suit resists against government attempts to audit faculty, surveil international students, and impose ideological oversight.

Harvard President Alan Garber labeled it as a move to enforce "unprecedented and improper control" over academic decisions. The funding freeze, amounting to $2.2 billion, has already interrupted crucial research projects, including studies on tuberculosis and A.L.S., according to a New York Times report.

Last week, the Trump Administration also asked the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to take away Harvard University's tax-exempt status.

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Why It Matters: The administration justifies its decisions as part of a larger clampdown on campus "antisemitism" but Harvard views the measures as gross violations of constitutional rights and lacking in legal basis. "The university will not surrender its independence," Garber told the community amid the ongoing crisis.

Prominent figures in higher education are supporting Harvard's challenge. Ted Mitchell, head of the American Council on Education, hailed the lawsuit as a stand against political interference.

With Harvard aiming for a fast-track resolution, the case could have long-term implications for how universities protect their autonomy.

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