Trump administration threatens to cut all federal funding to Harvard over alleged violations of Jewish students’ rights

On Monday, the Trump administration threatened to cut all federal funding to Harvard University, claiming that an investigation found the school had violated the civil rights of Jewish students.

In a letter sent to the Ivy League institution, officials said Harvard was not complying with civil rights laws that require colleges to protect students from discrimination based on race or nationality. The investigation reportedly concluded that Harvard was, at times, a “willful participant in anti-Semitic harassment of Jewish students, faculty, and staff,” and that campus leaders allowed anti-Semitism to grow unchecked.

The letter warned that if Harvard failed to make immediate changes, it would lose all federal financial support and damage its relationship with the federal government.

This move comes after a tense and ongoing battle between the Trump administration and Harvard. The university has already lost more than -$2.6 billion in federal funding after rejecting a series of demands from President Trump, which included sweeping changes to campus hiring, admissions, and governance.

In late May, Trump escalated his criticism, suggesting Harvard should limit the number of foreign students it admits. He claimed American students were being shut out because of the high number of international students, saying, “I think they should have a cap of maybe around 15%, not 31%.” He added, “We have people who want to go to Harvard and other schools, but they can’t get in because we have foreign students there.”

Following this, the administration took the drastic step of revoking Harvard’s certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, effectively preventing the university from enrolling new international students. Existing foreign students were told they would have to transfer elsewhere or lose their legal status in the U.S.

Harvard fought back, suing the administration and calling the ban unconstitutional retaliation for resisting the White House’s political demands. “With the stroke of a pen, the government has sought to erase a quarter of Harvard’s student body, international students who contribute significantly to the University and its mission,” the university said in its lawsuit.

Earlier this month, Trump announced that Harvard had entered negotiations with his administration to resolve the dispute. “They have acted extremely appropriately during these negotiations, and appear to be committed to doing what is right,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. He added, “If a settlement is made on the basis that is currently being discussed, it will be ‘mindbogglingly’ HISTORIC, and very good for our country.”