WEBDESK: Harvard University has filed a lawsuit against U.S. President Donald Trump after the federal government froze $2.2 billion in research grants. The freeze comes amid an ongoing disagreement between Harvard University and the Trump administration regarding campus policies.
The university announced the lawsuit Monday, April 21, 2025, after federal officials imposed the funding freeze. The move followed Harvard’s refusal to comply with a list of demands from the administration that included sweeping reforms to leadership structures, admissions policies, and the university’s handling of student activism.
According to officials, the funding was suspended after Harvard University reportedly refused to adopt changes in leadership, admission policies, and student activism protocols that the administration pushed for. These demands were seen by the university as an overreach that threatens academic freedom.
In a public statement, Harvard President Alan Garber pushed back firmly. “We will not allow federal overreach to compromise academic freedom or the autonomy of our institution,” he said. “These grants support critical research and innovation that benefit the entire country.”
Harvard University emphasized that the grant money is meant to support critical research in fields like medicine, technology, and climate change. Withholding these funds could hurt not only students and faculty, but also the broader scientific community that depends on this work.
Harvard’s lawsuit is expected to challenge the legality of withholding federal research funds based on ideological disagreements, and the outcome could have broader implications for higher education institutions nationwide.
Harvard University’s spokesperson said the school remains committed to upholding its values of free expression, diversity, and research excellence. Meanwhile, the Trump team has not yet issued a detailed response to the lawsuit.
