The Trump administration is positioning itself as a watchdog for discrimination at elite universities, specifically threatening to cut all federal funding to Harvard University over alleged civil rights violations against Jewish students. An investigation concluded that Harvard was a “willful participant in anti-Semitic harassment” and failed to protect students from discrimination.
This strong stance underscores a broader trend of the administration exerting influence over higher education. Harvard had already lost over $2.6 billion in federal funding after rejecting the administration’s demands for significant changes in campus hiring, admissions, and governance. The current threat highlights the severity of the alleged civil rights violations.
The administration’s focus on elite universities also extends to admissions policies. President Trump had criticized Harvard’s high percentage of foreign students, suggesting a cap of around 15% to create more opportunities for American applicants. This concern reflected a desire to prioritize domestic students in top institutions.
The dispute previously intensified when the administration revoked Harvard’s certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, effectively banning the university from enrolling international students. Harvard responded by suing the Trump administration, labeling the ban as unconstitutional retaliation. More recently, however, President Trump announced on Truth Social that talks were underway with Harvard officials to resolve the long-standing dispute, expressing optimism for a “mindbogglingly’ HISTORIC” settlement.