US President Donald Trump is planning to cut an additional $1 billion in health research funding for Harvard University, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, as the administration’s row with elite schools escalates.
The Trump administration has already withheld government funding from Harvard, Columbia and other universities in response to the pro-Palestinian demonstrations in what the White House has labelled a failure to control antisemitism on campus.
Harvard pushed back last week, rejecting demands for control of its student body, faculty and curriculum, saying that would cede control of the university to the government.
Soon after Harvard’s reaction, the Trump administration announced it would freeze $2.2 billion in multi-year grants to the school and threatened to strip Harvard of its tax-exempt status.
Trump also publicly denounced the university, saying that Harvard is a “joke” and “disgrace” on two separate occasions.
According to the Journal, the plans to pull an additional $1 billion in research funds arose after administration officials were surprised when the university made public a letter from the Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism.
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The Journal reported that officials had initially planned to treat Harvard “more leniently” than Columbia but now want to “increase pressure” on it.
People close to Harvard told the newspaper that the task force is now escalating the fight with the university to protect its own reputation.
Donald Trump vs Harvard
Donald Trump is furious at the institution for rejecting government supervision of its admissions, hiring practices and political slant and ordered the freezing of $2.2 billion in federal funding to Harvard this week.
Republicans in the US Congress have also announced an investigation into Harvard University on Thursday, accusing it of flouting civil rights law.
Harvard has flatly rejected the pressure, with its president, Alan Garber, saying that the university refuses to “negotiate over its independence or its constitutional rights.”
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Alan Garber added that the university would not compromise its independence or give up its constitutional rights under the First Amendment, which protects free speech.
Harvard is the first major US university to reject Trump’s administration’s demands and has accused the White House of attempting to “control” its community.
At least 1,024 students at 160 colleges, universities and university systems have had their visas revoked or their legal status terminated since late March, according to an Associated Press review of university statements.
