Trump administration seeks billions from Harvard in anti-Semitism lawsuit

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WASHINGTON: The Department of Justice filed a federal lawsuit against Harvard University on Friday, alleging the institution ‘allowed anti-semitism to flourish’ and failed to protect its students amid the global uproar over the war in Gaza.

The legal complaint asserts that the university’s administrative policies and response to campus demonstrations created a hostile environment, effectively sending a ‘clear message’ to the Jewish and Israeli community that they were being ‘intentionally excluded and denied equal access to educational opportunities.’ Federal prosecutors argue that the university’s ‘deliberate indifference’ to harassment and intimidation constitutes a violation of federal civil rights laws, justifying a massive clawback of taxpayer-funded support.

Harvard University officials quickly rejected the lawsuit’s allegations, describing the legal move as ‘yet another pretextual and retaliatory action’ from the administration of President Donald Trump. In a formal statement, the university maintained that it has taken significant and concrete steps to address campus tensions, including the implementation of new training programmes and updated disciplinary processes.

“Harvard cares deeply about members of our Jewish and Israeli community and remains committed to ensuring they are embraced, respected, and can thrive on our campus,” a spokesperson for the university said, adding that the school's efforts demonstrate the ‘very opposite of deliberate indifference.’

While the exact amount of total damages sought remains unclear, the lawsuit points specifically to nearly $2.6 billion in federal grants awarded to the university by the Department of Health and Human Services. The Trump administration is reportedly seeking to recoup all federal grants issued to the university since October 2023, when student protests first erupted. The case is set to be litigated before U.S. District Judge Richard Stearns, a President Bill Clinton appointee.

The legal action is viewed as a significant escalation in a broader pressure campaign by Trump against elite educational institutions since his return to office in 2025. This move follows a long-standing feud between the president and the university, with the administration increasingly utilising federal funding and civil rights litigation as leverage to influence campus policies, endowment oversight, and administrative diversity programmes across the country.

Photo Credits: AFP