President Donald Trump’s feud with Harvard escalated on Monday as the president said he is considering taking billions of dollars in grant money away from the Ivy League university and distributing it to trade schools.
Trump made the threat on Truth Social Monday morning and insisted in a separate post that the government “will, in the end, WIN” a wider feud with the university that is playing out in the courts.
“I am considering taking Three Billion Dollars of Grant Money away from a very antisemitic Harvard, and giving it to TRADE SCHOOLS all across our land,” Trump wrote.
“What a great investment that would be for the USA, and so badly needed!!!”
In recent weeks, the administration has frozen roughly $3 billion in federal grants to Harvard appropriated by Congress. Most of these grants were intended to fund biomedical research.
The Trump administration’s standoff stems from Harvard’s failure to address sufficiently Trump’s concerns over antisemitism, campus protests over the war in Gaza, and its diversity policies.
While schools like Columbia University have caved to the administration’s demands, Harvard has resisted and faced increasing pressure and attacks from Washington.
Last week, the Department of Homeland Security revoked the school’s University Student and Exchange Visitor Program, effectively prohibiting Harvard from enrolling foreign students. The administration also canceled its student visa program.
Harvard has since sued the administration, claiming the move would affect more than 7,000 visa holders. The university has also accused the administration of violating the First Amendment, the due process clause, and the Administrative Procedure Act.
On Friday, a federal judge tentatively sided with the university, granting Harvard’s request to halt the DHS decision temporarily.
Amid the legal fight, the president has repeatedly demanded that Harvard release the names of countries and foreign students who haven’t financed their education.
Trump echoed this on Monday, accusing some students of being “radicalized lunatics.”
“We are still waiting for the Foreign Student Lists from Harvard so that we can determine, after a ridiculous expenditure of BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, how many radicalized lunatics, troublemakers all, should not be let back into our Country,” the president said.
“Harvard is very slow in the presentation of these documents, and probably for good reason! The best thing Harvard has going for it is that they have shopped around and found the absolute best Judge (for them!) – But have no fear, the Government will, in the end, WIN!”
HARVARD SUES TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OVER BLOCKING ENROLLMENT OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
While the court order blocking the DHS decision remains in place, DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin previously told the Washington Examiner that the Trump administration has “the law, the facts, and common sense on our side.”
A hearing on a preliminary injunction for the case is scheduled for May 29 in Boston.
