Harvard Professors File Lawsuit Against Trump Administration Over Nearly $9 Billion Funding Threat
“Threats of this nature serve as an existential gun to the head for any university,” the professors remarked in their lawsuit.
On April 11, professors from Harvard University initiated legal action against the Trump administration after it threatened to revoke nearly $9 billion in grants and contracts unless the university complies with required structural changes dictated by the administration.
The court documents reveal that the university received a letter from the administration on April 3 detailing “non-exhaustive preconditions” it must fulfill to retain government funding, following an investigation into the university’s inadequacies in addressing anti-Semitism on its campus.
Among the stipulations is a review of programs that contribute to anti-Semitic harassment, aimed at “enhancing viewpoint diversity and eliminating ideological capture” within the university. The lawsuit indicates that Harvard was also mandated to enforce a mask ban and terminate all diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.
As per the lawsuit, the administration has threatened to cancel at least $255.6 million in contracts and scrutinize over $8.7 billion in multiyear grant commitments to Harvard and its affiliates unless the university accepts the proposed changes.
“Harvard, similar to other American universities, relies heavily on federal funding to carry out its academic research. Such threats are akin to an existential ‘gun to the head’ for any university,” the lawsuit claims.
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“These broad yet vague demands do not address the underlying causes of any alleged noncompliance with federal law. Instead, they clearly aim to enforce political views and policy preferences pushed by the Trump administration, forcing the University to discipline unpopular speech,” the professors added.
They requested that the court issue an injunction to prevent any further examinations or assessments of the university’s federal funding and also to bar the administration from penalizing Harvard based on the perspectives of its members.
The Epoch Times sought comments from the White House but did not receive a reply by the time of publishing.
Following Israel’s military campaign in the Gaza Strip, aimed at dismantling the Hamas terrorist organization, protests erupted at various universities across the U.S. The military action was in response to Hamas’s assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages. Last spring, pro-Palestinian demonstrators occupied a building on campus.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon has previously urged college leaders to safeguard Jewish students from discrimination or face the consequences of losing federal funding.
“U.S. colleges and universities receive substantial public funding from U.S. taxpayers. This support is a privilege that hinges on strict compliance with federal anti-discrimination laws.”
