Trump Freezes $2.2 Billion in Harvard Grants for Contempt of Federal Orders
The Trump administration has frozen $2.2 billion in grants to Harvard University after the institution refused to comply with the federal government's demands.
Washington, D.C. – April 10, 2025
The administration of former President Donald Trump has taken an unprecedented step by freezing more than $2.2 billion in federal grants to Harvard University. The decision was announced by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) after the university refused to comply with a series of federally mandated guidelines regarding financial transparency and collaboration with federal agencies.
Sources close to the Department of Education indicate that Harvard refused to provide certain data on the use of public funds and to modify internal policies that the White House considered "ideologically biased and contrary to the national interest." The university's refusal has been interpreted by the Trump team as a form of direct contempt for the executive branch's authority.
In a statement, presidential spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt stated that "no institution, no matter how prestigious, is above the law," adding that the funds will be redirected to universities that "respect the rules and collaborate with the government in educating citizens committed to the nation."
From Cambridge, the university issued an official response defending its institutional autonomy and accusing the government of carrying out a "political reprisal without legal basis."
The freezing of funding could affect hundreds of research projects, scholarships, and academic programs. Analysts warn that this action could escalate into a legal dispute between Harvard and the executive branch, setting a delicate precedent in the relationship between universities and the state.
The academic community, both in the U.S. and abroad, is observing this confrontation with concern, which rekindles the debate over university independence from the political agendas of those in power.
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