Harvard Sues Trump Administration, Alleges Constitutional Rights Violated By Funding Freeze Punishment
(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Harvard University announced on Monday that it filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging that its constitutional rights were violated when Trump froze billions in federal funding in retaliation for refusing various demands.
“The consequences of the government’s overreach will be severe and long-lasting,” Harvard President Alan Garber said when announcing the suit.
“The tradeoff put to Harvard and other universities is clear: Allow the Government to micromanage your academic institution or jeopardize the institution’s ability to pursue medical breakthroughs, scientific discoveries, and innovative solutions,” Harvard’s lawyers wrote in their suit.
Last week, Harvard said it would defy Trump’s demand to end Harvard’s diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, ban masks at protests, and alter its hiring practices to limit the power of teachers “more committed to activism than scholarship.”
“No government – regardless of which party is in power – should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue,” Garber said in a statement at the time, adding, “The University will not surrender its independence or its constitutional rights.”
Trump punished the university for defying his demands by announcing the government would freeze $2.2 billion in multi-year grants to the school, primarily at its various research institutes and medical facilities. Trump also has threatened to strip Harvard of its tax-exempt status. Trump also has threatened funding cuts to other major universities like Columbia, Cornell, and Northwestern — with some caving to Trump’s demands.
“Under whatever name, the Government has ceased the flow of funds to Harvard as part of its pressure campaign to force Harvard to submit to the Government’s control over its academic programs. That, in itself, violates Harvard’s constitutional rights,” the university’s lawyers added.
Harvard’s suit also named Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health and human services secretary; Linda M. McMahon, secretary of education; Stephen Ehikian, acting administrator of the General Services Administration; Attorney General Pam Bondi; and several other administration officials.
This is a developing story and has been updated.
