President Donald Trump wrote Monday on the Truth Social platform that he is weighing the transfer of $3 billion in grants previously awarded to Harvard University to vocational schools instead. This represents a further escalation in Trump’s ongoing conflict with academia—especially with universities he says are “associated with the radical left.”
Trump called Harvard “very antisemitic”, further condemning it as a hub for hiring “radical left idiots and birdbrains,” saying that the federal funding it receives no longer serves the public interest. Harvard, in response, filed a lawsuit arguing that this move constitutes an illegal infringement on free speech and sets a dangerous precedent of government control over academic content.
Blocking Harvard from Enrolling Foreign Students
In addition to the proposed funding cuts, the Trump administration also sought to block Harvard from enrolling foreign students—a measure that was temporarily halted by a federal judge. Harvard argued that the policy could have harmed thousands of international students and undermined its academic independence.
Alongside these steps, the administration is also considering revoking Harvard’s tax-exempt status and imposing taxes on its investment funds. Trump appears determined to apply significant financial and public opinion pressure on universities that do not accept federal guidelines on DEI and properly protect Jewish students.
