Trump targets Harvard over foreign donations, protests, and campus politics

The Trump administration announced on April 18 that it had requested records from Harvard University concerning foreign funding and connections going back ten years, marking the latest escalation in its ongoing conflict with the prestigious institution.

This move is part of a broader crackdown by the Trump administration against U.S. universities, particularly targeting institutions like Harvard over issues such as pro-Palestinian protests on campus, transgender rights, and diversity programs.

Critics argue that the administration’s actions are a direct attack on free speech and academic freedom.

Under U.S. law, universities are required to disclose foreign donations exceeding $250,000 per year. The Department of Education, in a letter to Harvard President Alan Garber, accused the university of providing “incomplete and inaccurate” disclosures between 2014 and 2019, Caliber.Az reports via US media.

Linda McMahon, the Secretary of Education, said the records request is the first step in ensuring that Harvard is not influenced by foreign entities, although no evidence to support such claims was provided. In response, Harvard emphasised that it has been complying with these reporting requirements for decades, including providing details on foreign donations and contracts exceeding $250K annually.

Additionally, the Trump administration has requested information on expelled foreign students, research they conducted, and the list of visiting researchers, students, and faculty affiliated with foreign governments.

This request is part of a broader review, initiated by the Trump administration, that includes a $9 billion examination of federal contracts and grants given to Harvard. The administration has also demanded policy changes like a mask ban, the removal of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, and has threatened to revoke Harvard’s tax-exempt status. In retaliation to Harvard’s resistance, the administration froze $2.3 billion in funding.

Trump’s actions follow his condemnation of protests on U.S. campuses against Israel's military actions in Gaza after the October 2023 Hamas attack. He has equated these protests with antisemitism and support for Hamas. Many of the protesters, including Jewish groups, argue that their stance is not linked to extremism or antisemitism, but is rather a call for Palestinian rights.

In addition to Harvard, other universities like Columbia, Princeton, Brown, and the University of Pennsylvania have faced similar scrutiny and funding freezes as part of the administration’s broader strategy.

By Tamilla Hasanova