Trump administration finds Harvard failed to protect Jewish students,
threatens to cut all funding
[July 01, 2025]
By COLLIN BINKLEY
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's administration on Monday
intensified its battle with Harvard University, formally finding the
school tolerated antisemitism — a step that could jeopardize all of
Harvard's federal funding, including federal student aid.
In a letter sent to Harvard, a federal task force said its investigation
had found the university was a “willful participant” in antisemitic
harassment of Jewish students and faculty. The task force threatened to
refer the case to the Justice Department to file a civil rights lawsuit
“as soon as possible,” unless Harvard comes into compliance.
The finding escalates the White House's conflict with Harvard, which has
faced mounting sanctions after rejecting a list of federal demands
calling for sweeping changes to campus governance, hiring and
admissions. Already, the government has slashed more than $2.6 billion
in research grants. But the civil rights violation could jeopardize
Harvard’s eligibility to accept federal loans or grants for students to
attend the university — a penalty often referred to as a “death
sentence” in higher education.
“Failure to institute adequate changes immediately will result in the
loss of all federal financial resources and continue to affect Harvard’s
relationship with the federal government,” officials said in the letter,
which was obtained by The Associated Press and first reported by The
Wall Street Journal.
The Trump administration for months has accused Harvard of tolerating
antisemitism on its campus, but a formal investigative finding gives the
administration a channel to block more federal funding.
Trump personally has railed against Harvard, but on June 20 suggested a
deal resolving the monthslong conflict could be coming soon. In a post
on social media, Trump said Harvard has “acted extremely appropriately”
during negotiations. He did not elaborate on the terms of a potential
resolution.
Harvard has not commented on whether it is negotiating with the White
House. On Monday, Harvard said it strongly disagrees with the
government's findings and is committed to fighting bias.
“Antisemitism is a serious problem and no matter the context, it is
unacceptable,” the university said in a statement. “Harvard has taken
substantive, proactive steps to address the root causes of antisemitism
in its community.”
Federal officials made their case in a 57-page report detailing an
investigation by the civil rights office of the Department of Health and
Human Services. The agency is among several represented on a federal
antisemitism task force.
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The government's investigation largely relied on a campus antisemitism
study commissioned by Harvard and released in April. Federal officials
cited numerous details from that report, including accounts of Jewish
students who said they were spit on and faced chants on campus including
“Heil Hitler.”
It focuses heavily on last year's protests over the Israel-Hamas war. In
the letter to Harvard, federal officials said the campus was “overrun by
an impermissible, multiweek encampment” that left Jewish and Israeli
students fearful and disrupted their studies.
It accuses Harvard of imposing lax and inconsistent discipline against
students who participated in the encampment, noting that none were
suspended.
Harvard President Alan Garber has acknowledged problems with
antisemitism and anti-Muslim bias on campus, but he says Harvard has
made strides to fight prejudice. He announced new initiatives in April
upon release of the antisemitism study.
“Harvard cannot — and will not — abide bigotry,” Garber wrote at the
time.
The Monday letter finds Harvard violated Title VI of the Civil Rights
Act of 1964. Such findings have almost always been resolved through
voluntary resolutions between schools and the federal government. The
Trump administration has taken a much sharper edge than its
predecessors, however.
It has been decades since an administration even attempted to strip a
school or college of its federal funding over civil rights violations.
Trump officials are seeking that outcome in a Justice Department lawsuit
against Maine over transgender athletes, and it's threatening the same
action in a similar investigation into California.
Trump officials have barraged Harvard with sanctions after it became the
first university to defy White House demands addressing accusations of
antisemitism and liberal bias. Along with research cuts, the
administration has attempted to bar Harvard from hosting foreign
students, and President Donald Trump has said the school should lose its
tax-exempt status.
Some of the actions have been blocked by courts after Harvard sued,
accusing the government of illegal retaliation.
Harvard's previous funding cuts were carried out under a provision
allowing the government to end grants and contracts that no longer align
with federal priorities. That strategy is believed to be unprecedented
and is being challenged in court. But by invoking a civil rights
violation, the government has put Harvard on an established path to
further penalties.
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