Harvard University has taken the Trump administration to court after President Donald Trump moved to freeze $2.3 billion in federal research funding. The elite institution filed a lawsuit on Monday in a Boston federal court, accusing the government of using federal funds as a tool to control academic decision-making and suppress free speech on campus.
According to the lawsuit, the administration’s action was triggered by Harvard’s refusal to comply with a list of sweeping White House demands. These included eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, banning face masks on campus, and disclosing extensive internal data about foreign students, faculty, and funding sources. Harvard argues that complying would compromise its academic independence and constitutional rights.
“This case is about the government trying to control what we teach and who we hire by threatening our financial stability,” the lawsuit stated. Harvard says the funding freeze violates the First Amendment and undermines the principles of higher education.
White House spokesperson Harrison Fields responded with a sharp rebuke, calling Harvard’s federal support a “gravy train” that is no longer guaranteed. “Taxpayer money is a privilege, not a right,” he said, asserting that the university had failed to meet basic accountability standards.
Since returning to office in January, Trump has taken a hardline stance on what he sees as the proliferation of antisemitism on college campuses—particularly in response to last year’s pro-Palestinian protests.
His administration claims universities like Harvard have failed to address hate speech and have protected environments hostile to Jewish students. However, protest groups—including many Jewish students—argue that criticisms of Israel’s military actions in Gaza have been unfairly conflated with antisemitism.
Harvard is the first institution to push back legally against what critics are calling a political crusade. President Alan Garber said the university remains committed to combating hate and complying with anti-discrimination laws, but not at the cost of its autonomy. “We are fully prepared to defend our values in court,” Garber stated.
The Trump administration is also reviewing or pausing federal funding to other prestigious universities, including Columbia, Princeton, Northwestern, Cornell, and Brown. These moves have sparked concern across academic institutions about the potential erosion of university independence and freedom of expression.
Harvard’s lawsuit names several federal agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Education. Several faculty members from Harvard and Columbia have filed separate lawsuits of their own, citing similar concerns.
As the legal battle unfolds, the case is shaping up to be a landmark fight over the balance of power between academia and the federal government—and the future of research, education, and free speech in America’s top institutions.
