Harvard University is standing firm against the Trump administration. The school says it will not accept government demands that threaten its independence.
The U.S. government has placed $9 billion in federal funding for Harvard and its affiliates under review. The funding is at risk after Harvard rejected a list of demands sent by the Trump administration. These demands include:
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Closing diversity offices
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Changing how the school admits students and hires staff
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Cooperating with immigration officers to screen international students
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Auditing the political views of students and faculty
Harvard President Alan Garber responded in a public letter. He said the university would not negotiate over its independence or its constitutional rights.
No government should decide what universities teach or whom they admit, Garber wrote.
Government Crackdown on Campus Protests
This comes after months of student protests across U.S. campuses. Many students spoke out against Israel’s war in Gaza. Some of these protests led to clashes between demonstrators, police, and pro-Israel groups.
The Trump administration says it is trying to stop antisemitism in schools. Officials say some protests supported Hamas, a terrorist group under U.S. law. The Department of Education is now investigating more than 60 universities for possible antisemitic incidents.
On April 3, the government sent Harvard a warning. Then, on Friday, it followed up with a longer list of demands. The university published that list publicly.
Harvard Says No to Political Control
Garber said some demands may help address antisemitism. But most go far beyond what the government is allowed to control.
Harvard’s position is very different from that of Columbia University. Columbia responded to government pressure by agreeing to student conduct reforms and hiring more security officers. It had also faced a $400 million funding cut.
Meanwhile, Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik called for Harvard to be defunded entirely. She said the school is full of raging anti-Semitism and is a symbol of the “moral rot in higher education.
Despite the political pressure, Harvard says it remains committed to its values. The university says it is open to new ideas, but it will not accept rules that violate academic freedom.
