How Harvard Reacted To Trump's Diktat That Led To Fund Freeze

Last Friday, the Trump Administration sent a letter to Harvard University--an institution 140 years older than the United States-- asking it to end its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in hiring, admissions, and programs. The letter also called on the university to reduce the power of students and faculty members over the university's affairs and demanded systematic screening of student organizations and international students -- a move supposedly aimed at curtailing antisemitism on campus. 

The administration's demands also include sharing its hiring data with the government and bringing in an outside party to ensure that each academic department is "viewpoint diverse." The failure to comply could result in the loss of billions in federal funding, the administration warned. 

Harvard responded swiftly, and by Monday, America's wealthiest university unequivocally rejected the administration's demands. The institution said it will not comply with demands issued by the Trump administration as they are "in contravention of the First Amendment," and "invade university freedoms long recognized by the Supreme Court." 

Harvard President's Letter

Further cementing the university's position, Harvard's president Alan Garber addressed the campus community directly to emphasise the gravity of the situation and its broader implications on higher education and writing.

"No government - regardless of which party is in power - should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue," Garber said in a statement to the university on Monday.

“No government—regardless of which party is in power—should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.” - President Alan Garber https://t.co/6cQQpcJVTd

— Harvard University (@Harvard) April 14, 2025

He stressed that the Trump administration's prescription goes beyond the power of the federal government and it violates "Harvard's First Amendment rights and exceeds the statutory limits of the government's authority under Title VI."

"t threatens our values as a private institution devoted to the pursuit, production, and dissemination of knowledge," Garber wrote. 

He stressed that the university has made it abundantly clear that it does not take its duty to fight antisemitism lightly and recounted that over the past fifteen months, the institution has taken many steps to address the issue on campus. 

"We plan to do much more. As we defend Harvard, we will continue to nurture a thriving culture of open inquiry on our campus; develop the tools, skills, and practices needed to engage constructively with one another; and broaden the intellectual and viewpoint diversity within our community; affirm the rights and responsibilities we share; respect free speech and dissent while also ensuring that protest occurs in a time, place, and manner that does not interfere with teaching, learning, and research; and enhance the consistency and fairness of disciplinary processes; and work together to find ways, consistent with law, to foster and support a vibrant community that exemplifies, respects, and embraces difference," he added. 

Garber further noted that freedom of thought and inquiry, along with the government's longstanding commitment to respect and protect it, has enabled universities to contribute in vital ways to a free society and to healthier, more prosperous lives for people everywhere. 

"All of us share a stake in safeguarding that freedom. We proceed now, as always, with the conviction that the fearless and unfettered pursuit of truth liberates humanity- and with faith in the enduring promise that America's colleges and universities hold for our country and our world," he added.

Trump's Crackdown On Campuses

Since coming back to the White House in January, US President Donald Trump and his administration have aggressively targeted universities and tried to eradicate diversity efforts with claims of campuses promoting antisemitism. 

According to a New York Times report, the administration has taken a particular interest in a short list of the nation's most prominent schools, with officials wanting to topple a high-profile university as part of their campaign to remake higher education. 

The administration first targeted Columbia University, followed by other Ivy League institutions, including Harvard -- America's richest as well as oldest university. 

After Harvard University refused to comply with the demand-- the first university to do so-- the Trump Administration responded forcefully, freezing $2.2 billion in federal grants to Harvard, with additional billions potentially at risk.

The freezer amount is a fraction of the $9 billion in federal funding that Harvard receives. Of this, around $7 billion goes to the university's 11 affiliated hospitals, and the remaining $2 billion goes directly to Harvard for research grants on subjects like space exploration, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer's disease and tuberculosis.

It was not immediately clear what programs the funding freeze would affect.