Trump admin seeks to cut all remaining contracts with Harvard
The Trump administration is ramping up pressure on Harvard University by instructing all federal agencies to terminate their contracts with the Ivy League school. This move comes amid a heated dispute over foreign students’ records at the prestigious institution.
The General Services Administration is set to dispatch a letter to federal agencies on Tuesday, urging them to review the approximately $100 million in federal contracts with Harvard and explore the possibility of finding alternative vendors. Among the federal contracts in question are agreements for Harvard ManageMentor Licenses, research on energy drinks and dietary intakes, and graduate student research services.
Harvard has already taken legal action by filing a lawsuit in federal court to restore around $3.2 billion in federal grant funding that has been frozen by the administration since last month. Additionally, the university obtained a temporary restraining order on Friday to prevent the government from revoking its certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, which allows international students with F-1 or J-1 visas to study in the U.S.
President Donald Trump has been vocal about his intentions to withhold grant money from Harvard, citing allegations of antisemitism and slow compliance with requests for information on foreign students. The Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem accused Harvard of creating an unsafe campus environment that is hostile to Jewish students, promotes pro-Hamas sympathies, and enforces discriminatory policies.
The standoff between Harvard and the Trump administration is set to continue, with a scheduled hearing in Boston federal court on Tuesday. As the situation unfolds, the fate of thousands of international students and millions of dollars in federal funding hangs in the balance.
It is essential for federal agencies to comply with the administration’s directive and sever ties with Harvard, as the ongoing dispute raises concerns about national security and the integrity of academic institutions. The outcome of this confrontation will have far-reaching implications for both Harvard University and the broader landscape of higher education in the United States.
