Harvard University has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration to block billions of dollars in federal funding cuts. The prestigious institution argues that the government’s actions threaten academic freedom and violate constitutional rights.
The lawsuit, submitted to a federal court in Boston on Monday, claims that President Trump’s directives are an attempt to control academic decision-making at Harvard. The university asserts that the administration’s demands undermine its independence and infringe on its First Amendment rights to free speech.
“This case involves the government’s efforts to use the withholding of federal funding as leverage to gain control of academic decision-making at Harvard,” the lawsuit states.
Since taking office, President Trump has criticized top U.S. universities for what he describes as allowing antisemitism and ideological bias to fester on campuses. He has particularly pointed to how institutions handled pro-Palestinian protests, which some say are wrongly conflated with antisemitism.
In March, the Trump administration began reviewing $9 billion in federal funding allocated to Harvard. The university was presented with a sweeping list of demands, including implementing a mask ban and ending diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Subsequently, $2.3 billion in funding was frozen, and the administration threatened to revoke Harvard’s tax-exempt status and restrict its ability to enroll international students.
Other universities, such as Columbia, Princeton, Cornell, Northwestern, and Brown, have also experienced funding pauses amid the administration’s scrutiny over campus protests.
Harvard President Alan Garber emphasized the university’s commitment to combating hate and complying with anti-discrimination laws. “Instead of engaging with Harvard about fighting antisemitism as civil rights law requires, the government is seeking to control whom we hire and teach,” Garber said in a statement regarding the lawsuit.
The legal action names several federal agencies and officials, including the Departments of Health and Human Services, Energy, and Education. The White House has not yet commented on the lawsuit.
This legal battle marks the first time a university has taken the Trump administration to court over its crackdown on federal funding tied to campus policies and protests.
