Trump sets terms for Harvard to address antisemitism in order to keep federal funding

The Trump administration has set new preconditions for Harvard University to combat antisemitism in exchange for access to federal funding. In a letter addressed to Harvard President Dean Garber, senior administration officials accused Harvard of failing to protect American students and faculty from antisemitic violence and harassment, in violation of the Civil Rights Act.

The letter, signed by officials from the General Services Administration (GSA), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Department of Education (ED), stated that U.S. taxpayers invest significantly in U.S. colleges and universities, including Harvard. Therefore, it is the government’s responsibility to ensure that recipients of federal funding are responsible stewards of taxpayer funds.

The Trump administration has demanded that Harvard ban the use of masks that could conceal identities at protests and establish a clear “time, place, and manner” policy for protests. Additionally, Harvard must eliminate all Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, adopt merit-based admissions and hiring reform, and end any admissions based on race or national origin.

Furthermore, Harvard must commit to full cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security and all other government agencies. The university must also review and make changes to programs and departments that fuel antisemitic harassment, as well as hold all students accountable for violations of policy and ensure senior administration officials are responsible for disciplinary decisions.

The three federal agencies involved announced a review of some $8 billion in multi-year grant commitments and $255 million in contracts as part of a probe by the Federal Task Force to Combat Antisemitism. The task force emphasized that reform is not optional and that Harvard must confront its institutional failures or risk losing funding.

Harvard’s response to the administration’s demands remains unclear, as the university could not immediately be reached for comment. However, the Trump administration has already taken action against Columbia University, clawing back over $400 million in funding and demanding changes to disciplinary policy.

The Trump administration has also targeted international students participating in Gaza protests that veer into pro-Hamas territory. Since signing an executive order to combat antisemitism, the State Department has revoked hundreds of visas, many of them held by college students.

Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences Dean Hopi E. Hoekstra acknowledged the disconcerting news and stated that the department was working on a contingency plan in case of federal funding cuts. Harvard has already implemented a hiring freeze in response to the review by the task force.

In conclusion, the Trump administration’s demands for Harvard to combat antisemitism in exchange for federal funding have sparked controversy and uncertainty within the university community. The outcome of Harvard’s response to these preconditions remains to be seen, as the administration continues to crackdown on universities failing to address antisemitism on their campuses.