Harvard rejects Trump’s demands and faces funding freeze

In April 2025, Harvard University, one of the United States' top educational institutions, was faced with a significant funding freeze by the Trump administration due to its refusal to comply with a set of demands aimed at addressing antisemitism on campus. This development followed the university's steadfast stance against the proposed conditions which were perceived as infringing on its independence and constitutional rights. The Trump administration responded by freezing over $2.2 billion in multi-year grants and contracts, emphasizing that nearly $9 billion in federal support was under review for compliance with federal civil rights responsibilities. These demands included changes to the university’s diversity and inclusion policies and an audit of the ideological views among students and faculty, among other controversial requirements. Harvard's administration expressed that such demands not only violate the university's First Amendment rights but also represent an overreach of governmental authority. The president of Harvard, Alan M. Garber, maintained that the university has taken various steps to address antisemitism, but emphasized that it must define its own actions and values without imposed government control. The situation reflects a broader conflict between the Trump administration and prestigious universities over issues ranging from free speech to civil rights. The administration's determination to link federal funding to compliance with its political agenda marks a controversial approach that many critics argue jeopardizes academic freedom across American universities.