Trump Returns to Office
Following his reinstatement as President of the United States (US) in early 2025, Donald Trump and his administration quickly began issuing new declarations and regulations targeting higher education institutions in the US. These measures aimed to address a range of global and national concerns. One of the key issues targeted was the handling of anti-semitism on university campuses. Amid ongoing tensions surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the administration launched the Federal Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism. On February 28, the task force announced its intention to visit 10 U.S. universities in a nationwide effort to eradicate anti-semitic harassment. President Trump publicly accused universities of failing to protect Jewish students during the surge of campus protests in 2024 against the war in Gaza and U.S. support for Israel.
Trump vs Harvard
Shortly after the task force announcement, the White House issued a public threat to freeze $2 billion in federal funding to Harvard University unless the institution amended its practices to comply with the administration’s directives on anti-semitism. Harvard, the country’s oldest university, refused. Harvard President Alan Garber responded firmly, stating the university would not submit to pressure that compromised its independence or violated constitutional rights, specifically the First Amendment protecting free speech. Harvard became the first major university to openly reject the president’s demands. In retaliation, the U.S. Department of Education announced the immediate freezing of $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in federal contracts to Harvard. President Trump insisted the funding would only be restored if Harvard complied with his demands and issued a formal apology. The backlash was swift. On March 7, faculty, researchers, and students rallied at the “Stand Up for Science” protest, voicing concerns about how the funding cuts threatened academic freedom and scientific research. In an April article published in Harvard Magazine, the university criticized Trump’s actions, stating they undermined diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies. The article emphasized the broader impact on academic independence and campus culture.
Impact on Other Institutions
Harvard was not alone. The Trump administration used similar funding threats against other prestigious institutions. Columbia University, after experiencing a $400 million suspension in grants and contracts, agreed to comply with the administration’s demands. Overall, six of the seven universities initially impacted were Ivy League schools. Warnings were subsequently issued to more than 60 institutions across the country, including Brown, Cornell, Princeton, and Yale, signaling the administration’s broader strategy of using federal funding as a tool to influence higher education policy.
This sequence of events reveals a deepening divide between the federal government and U.S. higher education institutions. As the Trump administration intensifies its pressure campaign, universities face a critical challenge: comply with political mandates or uphold academic freedom and constitutional rights often at great financial cost.