The Trump administration said on Monday that it was reviewing $9 billion in federal contracts and grants given to Harvard University as part of an ongoing effort to crack down on what it says is antisemitism on college campuses.
The Departments of Education, Health and Human Services and the U.S. General Services Administration said in a written statement that $255.6 million in contracts between Harvard, its affiliates and the federal government were being reviewed, along with $8.7 billion in multi-year grant commitments.
The focus on Harvard comes after the Trump administration this month canceled $400 million in federal funding for fellow Ivy League school Columbia University.
Columbia was the epicenter of anti-Israel protests that broke out on several U.S. college campuses following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack inside Israel, and Israel's subsequent war in Gaza. The university's interim president announced that she was stepping down over the weekend.
The Trump administration has blasted universities for not doing enough to combat antisemitism and ensure student safety during the protests.
"Harvard has served as a symbol of the American Dream for generations – the pinnacle aspiration for students all over the world to work hard and earn admission to the storied institution," said Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. "Harvard's failure to protect students on campus from anti-Semitic discrimination - all while promoting divisive ideologies over free inquiry - has put its reputation in serious jeopardy."
Harvard did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
