HHS Terminates $60M In Harvard Grants Over Antisemitism

Harvard Loses $60M in Federal Grants Amid Antisemitism Allegations

In a significant escalation of tensions between the U.S. government and one of the nation’s most prestigious academic institutions, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced on Monday the termination of $60 million in federal grants to Harvard University. The decision, posted on X, cited Harvard’s alleged failure to address antisemitic harassment and ethnic discrimination on its campus as the primary justification for the action.

This move is part of a broader campaign by President Donald Trump’s administration, which, since taking office in January 2025, has frozen or terminated nearly $3 billion in federal grants and contracts to the Ivy League institution. The administration’s actions reflect a deliberate strategy to leverage federal research funding to reshape U.S. academia, which it accuses of being steeped in anti-American, Marxist, and “radical left” ideologies.

The HHS statement specifically pointed to Harvard’s handling of issues related to antisemitism, particularly in the context of pro-Palestinian student protests that swept across American college campuses in 2024. The administration contends that these protests, which garnered significant attention for their intensity and polarizing rhetoric, fostered an environment where Jewish students faced discrimination and harassment. According to the government, Harvard’s failure to adequately address these concerns violated federal standards, prompting the termination of multiple multi-year grant awards in their entirety.

The Trump administration has also accused Harvard of improperly considering ethnicity in its student admissions processes, a charge that aligns with broader criticisms of the university’s diversity and inclusion policies.

Harvard University, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has not yet issued a formal response to the latest HHS announcement, according to Reuters. However, the university has previously stated that it cannot independently absorb the financial burden of the frozen or terminated grants, which are critical for funding research across various disciplines. In response to the funding cuts, Harvard has been working with its researchers to identify alternative sources of support to mitigate the impact on ongoing projects.

Additionally, the university has taken legal action against the Trump administration, filing a lawsuit to challenge the decision to withhold federal funding. This legal battle underscores the deepening rift between Harvard and the current administration, which views the university as a symbol of broader ideological issues within higher education.

The funding cuts come in the wake of heightened scrutiny over Harvard’s handling of antisemitism on campus. Earlier in May 2025, the university settled a high-profile lawsuit brought by an Orthodox Jewish student who alleged that Harvard had ignored pervasive antisemitic behavior.

This settlement followed two earlier lawsuits, resolved four months prior, in which Harvard committed to implementing additional protections for Jewish students. These legal agreements were intended to address claims that the university had become a “hotbed of antisemitism,” particularly in light of the campus protests. The recent settlement and the federal government’s actions reflect a broader national conversation about campus climate, free speech, and the balance between protest and discrimination.

Harvard is not alone in facing such accusations. Columbia University, based in New York, has also been targeted by the Trump administration for alleged antisemitism, signaling that the crackdown on federal funding may extend to other prominent institutions.

The administration’s approach has sparked debate about the appropriate role of federal oversight in academic affairs, with critics arguing that the funding cuts are politically motivated and could jeopardize critical research. Supporters, however, view the measures as a necessary corrective to what they perceive as ideological overreach in academia.

The termination of $60 million in grants represents only a fraction of the $3 billion in federal funding that Harvard has lost in recent weeks, but the financial and symbolic impact is significant. As Harvard navigates the fallout, including its ongoing lawsuit against the administration, the broader implications for academic freedom, campus diversity, and federal funding for higher education remain uncertain. The situation continues to evolve, with potential ramifications for universities nationwide.

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