Harvard University just became the latest institution to come under federal scrutiny by the Trump administration.
The Department of Health and Human Services announced on Monday that a “comprehensive review” of Harvard’s federal funding is underway, putting more than $8.9 billion in contracts and grants at risk.
The Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism is spearheading the review to “ensure the university is in compliance with federal regulations, including its civil rights responsibilities.”
The review of Harvard came after the same task force recently cut $400 million from Columbia University. The institution agreed to a set of conditions set by the administration, which included stricter protest regulations, an expanded campus security presence, and increased oversight of its Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies Department, in an attempt to restore funding. The university’s interim president also resigned shortly after the concession.
Since Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack against Israel, and Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza, which has claimed at least 50,000 lives combined, some of the nation’s most prestigious colleges have faced allegations of antisemitism following a wave of pro-Palestinian protests that spread across the country.
The Trump administration is also seeking to deport pro-Palestinian activists who are permanent residents, several of whom are students of Columbia, which sparked First Amendment concerns.
Although Monday’s announcement did not detail the administration’s exact demands on Harvard, Education Secretary Linda McMahon criticized Harvard for jeopardizing its reputation by “promoting divisive ideologies over free inquiry.”
“Harvard can right these wrongs and restore itself to a campus dedicated to academic excellence and truth-seeking, where all students feel safe on its campus,” McMahon said in a statement on Monday.
Funding cuts from schools typically need to go through a lengthy process via the Department of Education. The American Association of University Professors and the American Federation of Teachers have sued the administration for holding funding hostage, saying that the cuts have terminated grants for fetal health, Alzheimer’s, and cancer research at Columbia.
As of the end of March, Columbia did not receive assurance that funding would be restored.
Alan M. Garber, the president of Harvard University, said in a statement that the university will “engage with members of the federal government’s task force to combat antisemitism” and that he had “experienced antisemitism directly, even while serving as president.”
“In longstanding partnership with the federal government, we have launched and nurtured pathbreaking research that has made countless people healthier and safer, more curious and more knowledgeable, improving their lives, their communities, and our world,” Garber added.
Harvard’s endowment was $53.2 billion in 2024, and its fiscal year operating expenses were $6.4 billion.
