Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Apr 15: Tensions have reached a boiling point between the Trump administration and elite academic institutions as the White House froze over $2 billion in federal grants and contracts earmarked for Harvard University. The move comes after Harvard refused to comply with a series of sweeping policy demands from the administration, including eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and banning masks at campus protests.
Harvard President Alan M Garber issued a defiant response on Monday, stating, “The University will not surrender its independence or its constitutional rights.” His remarks come amid growing federal pressure on universities to address what the administration claims is a rise in antisemitism on campuses following protests related to the Israel-Hamas war.
The administration’s demands, said to be part of a broader campaign to "combat antisemitism," also include reforms to merit-based hiring and admissions and curbing what it calls excessive activism among faculty and administrators.
The funding freeze on Harvard marks the first high-profile case under this policy crackdown. However, it is far from the only one.
Columbia University, previously targeted in March, had $400 million in federal funds pulled over what officials said was failure to address antisemitism. The university later outlined an action plan, including stricter protest rules and enforcement policies. Columbia’s Board of Trustees called the measures “aligned with our values,” though acting President Claire Shipman emphasized the university’s ongoing autonomy. “We will not accept heavy-handed orchestration from the government,” she said.
Princeton University announced earlier this month that it had lost $210 million in research funding from agencies like NASA and the Department of Energy, with an additional $4 million slashed by the Commerce Department. University President Christopher Eisgruber warned that the administration’s approach represented “the greatest threat to American universities since the Red Scare of the 1950s.”
Cornell University and Northwestern University were also hit with sudden funding freezes $1 billion and $790 million respectively linked to ongoing Title VI investigations. Neither institution was informed in advance, and both expressed deep concern. “This type of research is now at jeopardy,” Northwestern said, citing life-saving innovations under threat.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has revoked visas of over 525 students and academics across more than 80 institutions, citing connections to terror groups or past misdemeanors.
As elite institutions push back, a growing constitutional and cultural battle looms over the future of academic freedom and federal oversight. The administration has stated that continued federal support will hinge on ‘meaningful change,’ raising the stakes for America’s top universities.