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US judge says Trump unlawfully axed more than $2 billion in Harvard funds

Harvard University Wins Legal Battle Against Trump Administration

In a significant victory for Harvard University, a U.S. judge in Boston has blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to terminate approximately $2.2 billion in federal research funding for the prestigious institution. The ruling marks a major win for the nation’s oldest college, which has been embroiled in a legal battle with Trump officials over federal funding.

U.S. District Judge Allison D. Burroughs rejected the administration’s claim that it was seeking to strip Harvard of the funding due to allegations of antisemitism or the university’s alleged failure to comply with recommendations from a federal antisemitism task force. In her decision, Burroughs stated that it appeared the administration used antisemitism as a pretext for an ideologically motivated attack on Harvard.

“We must fight against antisemitism, but we equally need to protect our rights, including our right to free speech, and neither goal should nor needs to be sacrificed on the altar of the other,” Burroughs emphasized in her ruling.

The legal battle between Harvard and the Trump administration began in April when Harvard filed a lawsuit against the administration over its attempts to freeze federal funding and block other grant money. Harvard’s lawyers argued that the administration’s actions constituted an unconstitutional pressure campaign to influence and control the university’s academic programs.

The administration accused Harvard of fostering violence, antisemitism, and collaborating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus. However, Burroughs’ ruling sided with Harvard, stating that the university was taking steps to combat antisemitism and was willing to do more if necessary.

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The decision represents a significant victory for Harvard, which has been the subject of investigations by six federal agencies since Trump took office. Harvard is the only major university to take legal action against the administration over its efforts to influence university policies.

The Trump administration’s efforts to hold Harvard accountable for alleged discrimination on campus have been met with legal challenges and pushback from the university. The ruling by Judge Burroughs is a blow to the administration’s attempts to cut off federal funding to Harvard.

“In an unsurprising turn of events, the same Obama-appointed judge that ruled in favor of Harvard’s illegal race-based admissions practices — which was ultimately overturned by the Supreme Court — just ruled against the Trump administration’s efforts to hold Harvard accountable for rampant discrimination on campus,” a Department of Education official stated.

Overall, the ruling represents a significant victory for Harvard University and underscores the importance of protecting academic institutions from undue political pressure. The legal battle highlights the ongoing tensions between universities and the federal government and the need to uphold academic freedom and autonomy.

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