Harvard refuses to bow as Trump targets universities in Israel-first crackdown

President Donald Trump’s attempt to reshape higher education through weaponised allegations of anti-Semitism has been dealt a major blow after Harvard University refused to comply with sweeping federal demands, triggering a $2.3 billion freeze in funding.

The clash marks a defining moment in an escalating campaign by the Trump administration to reshape the values and priorities of American universities, particularly those seen as strongholds of progressive thought.

Harvard is one of 60 universities targeted by the Trump administration with funding cuts in its wider crackdown on campuses over allegations of anti-Semitism.

At the heart of the dispute are accusations that elite institutions have failed to address anti-Semitism, accusations that critics say are being used to suppress political activism, dismantle diversity initiatives, and silence dissenting views, especially in the wake of pro-Palestinian student protests following Israel’s military assault on Gaza.

READ: US universities suspending students, professors who speak out against Israel soldiers on campus

In a multi-page letter sent by the federal government, Harvard was ordered to dismantle all diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programmes, end what the administration describes as race-based considerations in admissions or hiring and audit departments to ensure what it called “viewpoint diversity.” The letter also demanded the university bar and discipline pro-Palestinian student organisations, screen international students for “hostility to American values,” and provide federal authorities with regular progress reports and access to internal decision-making processes.

The administration further ordered Harvard to expel students involved in past pro-Palestinian demonstrations, and to identify and potentially sanction faculty members working in departments it claims are associated with anti-Semitic views

In response, Harvard rejected the demands outright, calling them an attack on academic freedom and “violates Harvard’s First Amendment rights and exceeds the statutory limits of the government’s authority.” In its official reply, the university stated that it “will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights,” adding that the government’s proposals went “beyond the lawful authority of this or any administration” and infringed on freedoms long protected by the Supreme Court.

The university acknowledged the need to address anti-Semitism and other forms of discrimination, and highlighted a series of initiatives already undertaken to improve campus climate and uphold federal law. However, it made clear that compliance with the federal ultimatum would amount to a government takeover of a private academic institution, undermining constitutional protections and academic freedom.

The funding freeze was announced within hours of the university’s refusal and is part of a broader federal review targeting nearly $9 billion in contracts and grants awarded to the institution.

READ: US freezes funding for Cornell, Northwestern University in latest crackdown on pro-Palestine protests

The campaign to reshape higher education along ideological lines favourable to Israel has already seen some universities comply under pressure. Columbia University has submitted to similar demands after facing threats of cuts to its funding. In contrast, Harvard has become the first Ivy League institution to take a public and uncompromising stand, rejecting what critics have described as a “McCarthyite” effort to suppress dissent and political activism on campus.

The administration’s actions come amid a major shift in US public sentiment. Recent polls show a sharp partisan and generational divide in attitudes toward Israel, with a majority of young Americans expressing opposition to the occupation state and increasing support for Palestinian rights. Among Democratic voters, support for Israel has dropped precipitously since the genocide in Gaza.

The latest Pew Research shows that among 18–49-year-olds, only among older Republicans does Israel still have majority support.

While the Trump administration presents its actions as a crackdown on anti-Semitism, critics argue that it blurs the line between anti-Semitism and legitimate criticism of Israel. They highlight the administration’s push for universities to adopt the controversial International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition, noting that seven of the eleven illustrative examples included in the definition equate certain forms of criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism.

In a rare public statement on the issue, former US President Barack Obama praised the university’s stance, saying it “set an example” for others by rejecting a “ham-handed attempt to stifle academic freedom.”