Trump administration issues demands on Harvard as conditions for billions in federal money

Washington | The Trump administration has issued a list of demands Harvard University must meet as a condition for receiving almost USD 9 billion in grants and contracts, federal money that is being threatened during an investigation into campus antisemitism.

In a letter to Harvard's president Thursday, three federal agencies outlined demands described as necessary for a “continued financial relationship” with the government. It's similar to a demand letter that prompted changes at Columbia University under the threat of billions of dollars in cuts.

The letter describes Harvard's federal money as a taxpayer investment that's based on performance. Harvard has “fundamentally failed to protect American students and faculty from antisemitic violence and harassment” and must take immediate action to keep its funding, the letter said.

Harvard confirmed it received the letter.

The letter calls for a ban on face masks, a demand that was also made at Columbia and targets pro-Palestinian protesters who have sometimes worn masks to hide their identities. Harvard also must clarify its campus speech policies that limit the time, place and manner of protests and other activities.

Academic departments at Harvard that "fuel antisemitic harassment” must be reviewed and changed to address bias and improve viewpoint diversity, the letter said. It does not single out any campus department or order a change in leadership, as Trump administration officials did for Columbia's Middle East studies department.

It also calls for firmer enforcement of existing discipline policies and a report on all actions taken in response to antisemitism since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel.

Other demands align with President Donald Trump's political agenda but appear less directly connected to the investigation on antisemitism.

It includes orders to adopt “merit-based" admissions and hiring policies and to remove any preferences based on race, religion, sex or other characteristics. Harvard also must work to end diversity, equity and inclusion programmes that teach students and faculty to “make snap judgments about each other based on crude race and identity stereotypes,” the letter said.

It was sent by officials at the General Services Administration, the Education Department and the Health and Human Services Department.

Federal officials notified Harvard on Monday that the university faces a “comprehensive review” to determine its eligibility to receive USD 255 million in contracts and more than USD 8 billion in grants.

Harvard President Alan Garber responded with a campus message saying the school had “devoted considerable effort to addressing antisemitism” and would provide a full accounting to the government.

Harvard is among several schools to have its federal money threatened by the Trump administration. Brown University became the latest on Thursday as the government paused USD 510 million in grants and contracts over the school's response to antisemitism.