Harvard University Federal Aid Frozen After Rejection of Trump’s Demands

Washington:In a major development, the U.S. Department of Education has frozen federal funding for Harvard University after the institution refused to comply with demands from President Donald Trump’s administration.

On Friday, the Trump administration sent a letter to Harvard University outlining several conditions, including reducing the power of students and faculty, reporting any violations by international students to federal authorities immediately, and hiring an external entity or individual to monitor every academic department.

However, Harvard University rejected these demands, calling them illegal. In a statement, Harvard’s President, Lawrence Bacow, emphasized that no government, regardless of political affiliation, has the authority to decide what private universities teach, what research they conduct, or who they admit or employ. Harvard’s lawyers also stated that the university would not comply with demands that exceed the legal powers of any administration.

The refusal to meet these demands has escalated tensions between the Trump administration and the nation’s wealthiest university, leading to a confrontation.

As a result of Harvard’s non-compliance, the U.S. Department of Education has frozen the university’s federal funding. The department stated that it is withholding $2.3 billion in federal funds, including $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contract value.

It is worth noting that in March, the Trump administration had announced it was reviewing nearly $256 million in federal contracts and an additional $8.7 billion in grant commitments to Harvard. The review stemmed from claims that the university had not taken sufficient measures to combat anti-Semitic behavior on its campus.