Trump Administration Opens New Front to Strip Harvard of Federal Funding
The government is starting a process that could deliver the biggest financial blow yet to the university in its fight with the White House
This debarment could jeopardize billions of dollars in federal grants, following a judge’s ruling to restore $2.2 billion in research funding.
- The Trump administration is escalating its dispute with Harvard University, initiating a debarment process over alleged antisemitism.
The Trump administration is escalating its fight with Harvard University by starting a process that could make the nation’s oldest and wealthiest university ineligible for federal grants over allegations of antisemitism on campus.
In a letter addressed to Harvard President Alan Garber on Monday, the Office for Civil Rights in the Health and Human Services Department said it is referring the university to a process called debarment. That move could deliver the biggest financial blow yet to Harvard during its fight with the Trump administration, putting billions of dollars in jeopardy.
Earlier this month, a Boston federal judge ruled that the government had to restore $2.2 billion in research funding to Harvard that the government froze earlier this year. Debarment—which essentially would declare the university ineligible to do business with the government—is another way the White House can seek to cut funds off.
A Harvard spokesman didn’t have an immediate comment. In the past, the university has said it has taken steps to address antisemitism on campus and that the government attacks are a violation of the school’s First Amendment rights.
The moves come as negotiations between Harvard and the White House have reached an impasse in the wake of the judge’s ruling on Sept. 3 that the government had improperly cut off the research funding, according to people familiar with discussions.
Debarment is designed for entities deemed not responsible enough to do business with the government, an administration official said. The White House doesn’t believe that Harvard has sufficiently addressed antisemitism on campus, the person added.
The move Monday is the latest in a litany of attacks the Trump administration has made against Harvard. In May, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon sent a letter to the school saying it would no longer be eligible for future federal grants. The administration has also threatened Harvard’s tax exempt status and its ability to enroll international students.
The path to possible debarring involves several steps, and it isn’t a given that Harvard will ultimately be debarred.
First, the administration is recommending that HHS suspend all federal grant funds, which would block federal grant funds from any federal agency from going to Harvard. A suspension would last a year, and during that time the government would review whether Harvard should be permanently banned from receiving federal grant money, an administration official said.
Harvard has 20 days from the notice to request a hearing.
Harvard and the Trump administration have been in talks to resolve months of the government’s pressure tactics over what it says are antisemitism and diversity-related concerns. President Trump has said that he wants no less than $500 million from Harvard.
Write to Natalie Andrews at natalie.andrews@wsj.com and Douglas Belkin at Doug.Belkin@wsj.com