DONALD TRUMP VERSUS HARVARD UNIVERSITY

Author: Dibya Lipsa Maharana, B.A.LL.B.(Hons.), KIIT School of Law, Bhubaneswar, Odisha

To the Point

This controversy started when Kristi Noem, security secretary of Department of Homeland Security accused Harvard University of anti-Semitism in the campus environment. It was reported that the university has become more hostile to Jewish students due to the pro-Palestinian protests and Gaza attack. In May 2025, the right of Harvard University to admit overseas students has been removed by Trump’s government. The foreign students have been warned that they might lose their citizenship in the United States or transfer to another college. This move has significantly affected the lives of around 6,800 international students. The Department of Homeland Security also said that the university refused to cooperate with their requests and did not share any details of the international students enrolled in Harvard with the department. The Trump government froze more than 2.2 billion dollars of research funding. The universities that participate in the Student Exchange and Visitor Program are supervised by the Department of Homeland Security. The program enables colleges to provide paperwork to international students who are accepted into their institutions. After that, the students seek for visas so they can study in the US. The US government has the power to control who is allowed to enter the nation.

Abstract

Recently wars have become a major cause of disaster in some countries. They have not only affected the financial and political status of the nations but also created huge issues for the immigrants living in those countries. Many immigrants are the victims of racial discrimination and wrongful deportation. Similarly, the war between Israel and Palestine has also caused major issues for both Jewish students and other foreigners admitted in Harvard. There are several cases of racism against the Asian, African and Jewish students in United States. Many of them are not even reported till date due to the fear of prejudices faced by the foreigners. Several foreigners are impartially treated due to their social backgrounds. Many international students have been subjected to severe mental and physical harassment like rape and murder. There are also cases of bullying and mental torture faced by the foreign students.

Use of Legal Jargon

Harvard claims that freezing their federal fund is illegal and beyond the authority of Trump’s government. Therefore, they have filed a lawsuit in Massachusetts Federal Court against the Trump government to continue receiving the research funds. Harvard president, Alan Garber said that no government in power or any other authority has the right to interfere in the personal affairs of a private institution. On the other hand, Trump’s administration alleges that the university is not taking any strict actions against the discrimination and continues to promote anti- Israel protests. It has turned the campus into a hostile environment for not only the Jewish students but also the other international students. They have asked Harvard to send the audio and video clips of the protests held in the campus but the university refused to do so. This negligence has not only impacted the Jewish student’s personal life but also their social and financial background. Other private institutions like MIT, Stanford, Columbia, Yale can also face severe consequences if they do not comply with the government’s requests and orders.

The Proof

The Trump administration accused Harvard of supporting anti-Semitism on campus and threatened to stop providing federal loans to the university. Harvard said that the administration’s actions were “unjust and unconstitutional” and filed a lawsuit after rejecting these demands. According to Harvard, the administration’s decision to freeze $2.2 billion in federal funding would have grave consequences for researchers, faculty, staff, patients, and students. The Trump administration called for more government control over Harvard’s political swaying, hiring procedures, and admissions. Harvard denied these requests, arguing that the government had no authority to meddle in a private institution’s internal affairs. Harvard filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging that it was trying to use federal funds to impact academic decisions. According to the lawsuit, Trump’s acts are against federal law and the First Amendment. With the administration announcing the cancellation of another $50 million in federal funding, Harvard expanded its case.

Case Laws


President and Fellows of Harvard College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (2020): Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Harvard and MIT opposed a rule established by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a division of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), that banned foreign students from remaining in the country if all of their education was completed online. The restriction, according to the colleges, caused international students to risk exposure to COVID-19 or face deportation, and also put unfair pressure on institutions to resume classes offline. Hundreds of other colleges, tech firms, and state governments heavily favored the lawsuit. The US government reversed the decision on July 14, 2020, just one week after the lawsuit was filed, going back to the more lenient guidelines that were released in March 2020 and let foreign students to stay in the country while taking online courses. During the global health crisis, the case represented a major legal win for international students’ rights and academic freedom.

Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College (2023): Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) claimed that Harvard’s selective admission policies violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by discriminating against Asian American candidates by favoring other racial categories. Harvard defended its admissions procedure, saying it promoted diversity and improved the educational experience for all students by using race as one of many considerations. In a major ruling that effectively ended discriminatory practices in higher education, the Supreme Court declared that the University of North Carolina and Harvard’s use of race in college admissions was unconstitutional after years of litigation. The Court ruled that these actions were against the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, highlighting the need for impartial admissions that are determined by individual merit. This decision severely restricted how colleges and universities can take race into account in their admissions procedures, signaling a dramatic change in American higher education policy.

Conclusion

The continuous dispute between Harvard University and the Trump administration, which escalated in early 2025 due to student protests relating to the Gaza battle, represents a significant conflict over government expansion, academic freedom, and political influence. The government threatened to withdraw Harvard’s tax-exempt and international-student privileges and froze an estimated $2.2–2.3 billion in federal funding and contracts in response to alleged antisemitism and pro-Palestinian protests in campus. Alan Garber, the president of Harvard University, used its First Amendment rights and filed several lawsuits calling the government’s policies illegal and unconstitutional. Courts consequently issued restraining orders to stop the funding freeze and the threats against the admission of international students. By portraying the fight as crucial to maintaining institutional independence, Harvard also generated support from both inside and beyond the university, from professors and alumni to other prestigious institutions. This conflict is crucial in determining how colleges handle protest, speech, and political diversity on campus.

FAQS

What is the dispute between Harvard University and Donald Trump?

In early 2025, Kristi Noem, security secretary of Department of Homeland Security accused Harvard University of promoting anti-Semitism in the campus environment due to the Gaza attack.

What actions were taken by the Trump government to prevent anti-Israel protests in Harvard?

The Trump administration removed Harvard University from the Student Exchange and Visitor Program and also froze around 2.2 billion dollars of research funds in order to prevent them from admitting international students.