Harvard University has urged a federal judge on Monday to order U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration to reinstate $2.5 billion in cancelled federal research grant.
Harvard has said the cuts threaten key medical and scientific projects and were driven by politics, not genuine concerns over antisemitism
The hearing before U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs in Boston underscored the escalating clash between the administration and one of the U.S.'s most prestigious universities, which says the decision threatens hundreds of projects, including studies on cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and infectious diseases.
“Patients and the public at large are the ones who will suffer,” Harvard’s attorney Steven Lehotsky, Harvard Law School graduate, told the court, saying the government had offered “no real evidence” linking the funding cuts to its stated goal of combating antisemitism.
Michael Velchik, a senior Justice Department lawyer, said the administration had the authority to pull the grants, accusing Harvard of failing to protect Jewish students.
“Harvard prioritized campus protestors over cancer research,” Velchik said, adding that the dispute belonged in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, not before Burroughs.
Burroughs, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, questioned the government’s sweeping claims of authority.
“If you can make this decision – to withdraw all this funding for reasons oriented around speech – the consequences in terms of constitutional law are staggering to me,” she said.
The administration has ramped up pressure on Harvard since Donald Trump returned to office in January, accusing elite universities of harbouring antisemitic and “radical left” ideologies.
After Harvard rejected a 11 April letter demanding changes to its governance, hiring, and admissions practices, the government cut funding and moved to threaten its accreditation, according to court filings.
Harvard President Alan Garber said last week the measures could strip the university of nearly $1 billion annually, forcing layoffs and hiring freezes.
The administration has also pushed through an increase in the excise tax on Harvard’s $53 billion endowment, raising it to 8% from 1.4%.
Harvard has acknowledged Jewish and Israeli students faced “vicious and reprehensible” harassment following Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza, but says it has taken steps to address the issue.
It argues the administration’s actions go far beyond combating antisemitism and violate First Amendment protections by attempting to control campus debate.
Burroughs is expected to issue a written ruling in the coming weeks.
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