The Trump administration is cutting off more than $2.2 billion in federal grants and $60 million in contracts to Harvard University, escalating its pressure campaign against elite academic institutions over campus activism and protest.
The freeze, confirmed Thursday, comes after Harvard said it would not comply with new government demands, including limiting protest rights, implementing “merit-based” admissions and hiring policies, and auditing students and faculty on diversity views.
In a letter sent Friday, the administration also called for a ban on face coverings — a move widely interpreted as targeting pro-Palestinian demonstrators — and urged Harvard to stop funding or recognizing any student group that “endorses or promotes criminal activity, illegal violence, or illegal harassment.”
Harvard President Alan Garber responded on Monday, calling the demands unconstitutional and “an effort to control how we operate,” citing First Amendment protections and the legal limits of federal power under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.
“No government — regardless of which party is in power — should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue,” Garber wrote.
The administration’s conditions follow months of student demonstrations across U.S. campuses over the war in Gaza, many of which included pro-Palestinian voices. Trump officials have accused universities of failing to confront antisemitism at those events — a charge institutions like Harvard strongly reject.
The clash is part of a broader federal campaign against several Ivy League schools. Funding has also been frozen for the University of Pennsylvania, Brown and Princeton. Columbia University made changes after facing a similar threat to its budget.
Supporters of Harvard’s resistance said the university was defending academic freedom. “Harvard stood up today for the integrity, values, and freedoms that serve as the foundation of higher education,” said Anurima Bhargava, an alumna who joined a group of graduates calling on the school to reject the federal demands.
Others are taking the matter to court. The American Association of University Professors filed a lawsuit Friday challenging the cuts, arguing the administration bypassed the required procedures and is using taxpayer money to enforce political conformity.
“These sweeping yet indeterminate demands are not remedies,” the suit reads. “They overtly seek to impose on Harvard University political views and policy preferences.”
Garber said Harvard has already enacted reforms to address antisemitism but stressed that “bullying and assertions of power unmoored from the law” would not dictate the university’s future.
Protests over the move erupted on campus and in nearby Cambridge over the weekend. As the legal fight begins, Harvard has vowed to continue operating independently — even under pressure.
U.S. President Donald Trump will personally attend a key meeting with Japanese trade officials on Wednesday, signaling his direct involvement in negotiations stemming from his recent wave of tariffs on global imports.
Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has postponed the next presidential election by several months, fueling speculation about his intention to seek a second term. The move allows him to complete his full six-year mandate and marks a potential shift toward greater political consolidation.
A passenger boat caught fire and capsized late Tuesday on the Congo River, killing at least 50 people and leaving hundreds more missing, officials confirmed Wednesday. The tragedy occurred near the northwestern town of Mbandaka in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The Chinese and Vietnamese navies have launched a week-long joint patrol in the Gulf of Tonkin, a move aimed at deepening maritime cooperation between the two countries.
Finnish power grid operator Fingrid announced on Wednesday that repairs to the damaged EstLink 2 subsea power line, which connects Finland and Estonia, will begin in May, with the line expected to return to commercial use by July 15, 2025.
U.S. President Donald Trump will personally attend a key meeting with Japanese trade officials on Wednesday, signaling his direct involvement in negotiations stemming from his recent wave of tariffs on global imports.
Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has postponed the next presidential election by several months, fueling speculation about his intention to seek a second term. The move allows him to complete his full six-year mandate and marks a potential shift toward greater political consolidation.
Türkiye has firmly rejected Greece's unilateral actions and claims regarding maritime spatial planning (MSP) in the Aegean Sea and Eastern Mediterranean, asserting that these actions will have no legal consequences for Ankara.
A passenger boat caught fire and capsized late Tuesday on the Congo River, killing at least 50 people and leaving hundreds more missing, officials confirmed Wednesday. The tragedy occurred near the northwestern town of Mbandaka in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
A new wave of attacks targeting French prisons has emerged overnight, with cars set on fire at several facilities, including at the Tarascon prison in southern France.
A small plane crashed near Kopake, New York, on April 13, killing at 6 people. The Mitsubishi MU-2B aircraft, carrying six people, went down under unclear circumstances. This marks the second aviation accident in New York in a week, raising safety concerns.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for April 10th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
A quiet Thursday afternoon at St. Peter’s Basilica turned into something extraordinary, as visitors caught a rare glimpse of Pope Francis — not in his familiar white papal robes, but dressed in black trousers and a striped blanket.
In a dramatic about-face, U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a 90-day pause on newly implemented tariffs for dozens of countries — a move that eased market turmoil but further escalated tensions with China.
Several regions in Ukraine faced heightened alert on Palm Sunday, as reports of explosions and missile threats drew public attention and official responses.
U.S. President Donald Trump will personally attend a key meeting with Japanese trade officials on Wednesday, signaling his direct involvement in negotiations stemming from his recent wave of tariffs on global imports.
Türkiye has firmly rejected Greece's unilateral actions and claims regarding maritime spatial planning (MSP) in the Aegean Sea and Eastern Mediterranean, asserting that these actions will have no legal consequences for Ankara.
A passenger boat caught fire and capsized late Tuesday on the Congo River, killing at least 50 people and leaving hundreds more missing, officials confirmed Wednesday. The tragedy occurred near the northwestern town of Mbandaka in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
A new wave of attacks targeting French prisons has emerged overnight, with cars set on fire at several facilities, including at the Tarascon prison in southern France.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi is set to visit Russia on Thursday, ahead of a second round of talks between Tehran and the United States regarding Iran's nuclear program. According to Russia’s RIA state news agency, Araqchi will meet with senior Russian officials during the visit.
U.S. President Donald Trump will personally attend a key meeting with Japanese trade officials on Wednesday, signaling his direct involvement in negotiations stemming from his recent wave of tariffs on global imports.
Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has postponed the next presidential election by several months, fueling speculation about his intention to seek a second term. The move allows him to complete his full six-year mandate and marks a potential shift toward greater political consolidation.
Türkiye has firmly rejected Greece's unilateral actions and claims regarding maritime spatial planning (MSP) in the Aegean Sea and Eastern Mediterranean, asserting that these actions will have no legal consequences for Ankara.
A passenger boat caught fire and capsized late Tuesday on the Congo River, killing at least 50 people and leaving hundreds more missing, officials confirmed Wednesday. The tragedy occurred near the northwestern town of Mbandaka in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
A new wave of attacks targeting French prisons has emerged overnight, with cars set on fire at several facilities, including at the Tarascon prison in southern France.
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