Harvard University sues Trump over funding freeze

Harvard University has sued the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump over threats to withhold federal funding.

According to reports, the prestigious institution filed the lawsuit in a Massachusetts federal court on Monday April 21, 2025, calling the government’s actions “unconstitutional” and “capricious.”

The Trump administration had earlier ordered sweeping changes at Harvard, citing the need to combat anti-Semitism on campus.

Harvard rejected the demands, which included closing diversity offices and cooperating with immigration checks for international students.

The university’s refusal prompted the White House to freeze $2.2 billion in federal research funding.

Trump also threatened Harvard’s tax-exempt status and its right to enroll foreign students.

The lawsuit argues the government’s move violates the First Amendment and existing federal laws.

It urges the court to declare the freeze illegal and order the release of the withheld funds.

“This is an effort to control academic decisions through threats and intimidation,” Harvard’s legal team said.

Trump, writing on his Truth Social platform, labelled Harvard “a joke” and accused it of spreading hate.

He said the university no longer deserves a place among the world’s top institutions.

Trump blamed Harvard and other elite schools for tolerating anti-Israel protests during last year’s Gaza war.

The administration described those demonstrations as “rife with anti-Semitism.”

Harvard, in its complaint, said it had sanctioned several students over protest activities.

It placed 23 on probation and denied degrees to 12, according to protest organizers.

President Alan Garber said his administration would not negotiate Harvard’s independence or constitutional rights.

He confirmed that multiple federal investigations had targeted the university’s operations.

Harvard insists it does not tolerate anti-Semitism and is actively implementing reforms to address it.

The Department of Homeland Security has also demanded records on foreign students’ alleged “violent activities.”

International students currently make up 27.2 percent of Harvard’s enrollment.

Other institutions like Columbia University have accepted less sweeping conditions from the Trump administration.

But Harvard, the oldest U.S. university, vowed to defend its autonomy in court.

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