Federal funding for student financial aid will not be affected by the change, the agency said.
Trump says he will cancel Harvard’s tax-free status
The Trump administration threatened to freeze $2 billion in federal funds after it disagreed with the list of requests from the administration.
WASHINGTON – The Trump administration is blocking new federal research grants to Harvard University in yet another escalation of the White House attack on one of the nation’s most prestigious universities.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon wrote a letter to Harvard President Alan Gerber on May 5th to inform them that the federal government would no longer approve the new research grant.
She cited concerns over an anti-Semitism incident on campus in order to refuse to continue providing taxpayer dollars to fund world-class research at the university.
“This letter tells Harvard University should not no longer seek federal grants. “Harvard will become a publicly funded institution and instead operate as a privately funded facility, using its enormous donations and raising funds from large bases of wealthy alumni.”
However, the change will not end all federal funds at Harvard. Officials from the senior education department said on Monday in a call with reporters that only research funds will be affected. He said that financial aid for federal students would not be affected.
The White House frozen more than $2 billion in university federal research funds in April after Harvard refused to adhere to government demands for overhauling employment, education and admissions practices. Harvard leaders sued the Trump administration denounced aggression over academic freedom.
“The lawsuit includes government efforts to use federal funds withholding as a exploitation to gain control over academic decision-making at Harvard,” the university said in its lawsuit.
Harvard did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Monday’s letter.
Zachary Schermele is an education reporter for USA Today. You can contact him by email at zschermele@usatoday.com. Follow him on X at @Zachschermele and follow Bluesky at @Zachschermele.bsky.social.
