President Donald Trump’s administration has announced that it will undertake a “comprehensive review” of its federal contract with Harvard University as part of its crackdown on anti-Semitism.
However, critics fear that the prestigious Ivy League University will be the latest target to cut down on the pro-Palestinian voices.
On Monday, three departments under Trump’s control — the Department of Education, General Services and Health and Human Services — issued a press release stating that the Harvard contract has $255.6 million and the multi-year grants have $8.7 billion under the microscope.
“Harvard has served as a symbol of America’s dreams for generations,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement.
“Harvard University has put its reputation in a serious danger while not protecting campus students from anti-Semitic discrimination — all promoting a more divisive ideology than free investigation.”
The announcement follows similar measures made against another private Ivy League campus at Columbia University in New York, followed by millions of contracts being revoked.
The Ivy League, particularly Colombia, was the epicenter of pro-Palestinian demonstrations in the United States after Israel launched its war with Gaza in October 2023.
Student camps on Colombia’s lawns in April and May 2024 urged similar protests across the country as campus activists denounced relations with Israel and called for an end to human rights abuses in Gaza.
UN human rights groups and experts accuse Israel of using tactics consistent with the genocide of Palestinian territory.
The organizers behind the protesters on campus largely rejected the accusation of anti-Semitism, arguing that being critical of the Israeli government is not the same as spreading anti-Semitic hatred. They liken attempts to engrave protests as a form of censorship, designed to undermine free speech.
However, critics accused the protesters of creating a dangerous learning environment. There have also been isolated reports of anti-Semitic attacks, including alleged attacks by one of the 24-year-old Colombian students who hanged a pro-Israel flyer in October 2023.
Still, the protests were generally peaceful. And free speech experts have accused the Trump administration of disproportionately denounced the blow-up accusations of anti-Semitism in order to control top universities.
List of requests
In the case of Columbia University, the Trump administration took away the $400 million grant and contract on March 7th, and came into effect immediately. Columbia accused the campus of allowing “relentless violence, threats and anti-Semitic harassment.”
A week later, on March 13, the Trump administration issued a list of requests Columbia needs to follow to win $400 million.
They included banning face masks, allowing law enforcement to arrest “agitators” on campus, and adopting controversial definitions of anti-Semitism, including criticism of Israel.
The Trump administration also called for research from the Middle East, South Asia and Africa to be placed under the control of external “acceptance.”
Critics denounced the measure as an attempt to corrode academic freedom. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (Fire) called the administration’s move “a blueprint for censorship on supercharged campuses.”
“This letter goes far beyond what the government is obligated to and is suitable to cool the discourse on campus,” the organization wrote in a statement.
“Civil rights investigations should not be handled through ad hoc directives from the government.”
However, the United States has long been an ally of Israel since its establishment, and the Trump administration has supported the ongoing campaign of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Gaza, suggesting that the US is “taking over” Palestinian territory, “itself” and turning its territory into a “Middle Eastern Riviera.”
Critics said Trump’s proposal amounts to an ethnic cleansing campaign against Palestinians who call Gaza home.
On March 22nd, Columbia University agreed to comply with most of Trump’s requests.
Law school speaks
The Trump administration touted these concessions as a victory in a news release that released a review of Harvard’s federal contract.
He also showed that Harvard is working with Trump’s priorities.
“We are delighted that Harvard is pleased to be involved with us on these goals,” Health and Human Services Department Sean Quevenny said in a statement.
However, the announcement that Harvard was the next school to be singled out comes just after an open letter from law schools, one of the oldest schools in the country.
More than 90 professors signed the document and condemn the actions taken to punish people for legally speaking about public concerns.
The letter does not fully mention Trump or Palestinian pro-protesters, but the publication comes after students are arrested for deportation as a result of their activities.
However, the letter notes attempts to “threate law firms and legal clinics” for legal work or previous government services. This is a reference to what Trump has done.
Trump, for example, issued a penalty order like San Francisco’s Perkins Coie LLP, who represents rival Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election, fired a career prosecutor at the Department of Justice.
A Harvard professor warned that this violated his constitutional right to freedom of speech, creating an atmosphere of fear.
“Whatever we can think of a particular act based on certain facts, we share the belief that the Constitution, including the First Amendment, was designed to allow opposition and arguments without fear of government punishment,” the letter reads.
“Neither law school nor society can function properly in such fears.”
Still, the Trump administration has pledged to “act swiftly” if Harvard fails to comply with its demands.
“We mean business,” Secretary McMahon posted on social media.
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