A senior administration official confirmed Tuesday that the Trump presidency is ordering federal agencies to withdraw deals with Harvard University fair about$ 100 million, furthering the Ivy League institution’s growing conflict. The action comes in addition to the university’s already withdrawn more than$ 2.6 billion in federal analysis offers. The General Services Administration ( GSA ) sent a draft letter to the administration urging agencies to review existing agreements with Harvard and look for alternative contractors for their latest move. The standard, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said a variation of the letter was scheduled to be distributed out Tuesday. The letter’s life was first revealed by The New York Times.
In response to ongoing tensions over the school’s leadership and policies, President Donald Trump has harshly criticized Harvard, calling it a “hotbed of democracy and antisemitism.” Harvard filed a lawsuit on April 21 to challenge the president’s demand for radical changes to the organization’s leadership construction, admissions procedures, and governance. Since therefore, the administration has responded by cutting federal funding, restricting membership for foreign students, and threatening to withdraw the school’s tax-exempt position. About 30 deals spanning nine national agencies are being reviewed for withdrawal, according to a second administration official. These services include those offered by the Department of Homeland Security through professional training courses. Organizations are being asked to create change plans to move services aside from Harvard, even though some contracts that are deemed crucial may not be terminated right away. The university’s remaining research grants are unaffected by the new directive, which only applies to national deals.
