The administration of President Donald Trump said that it was seeking the records of Harvard University on its foreign funding dating back a decade, as well as some foreign connections. This is the latest government escalation in its fight against the educational institution.
The Trump administration launched a crackdown on top U.S. Universities, including Harvard. This was in response to pro-Palestinian protests and other issues related to the culture war, such as transgender rights, diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
Trump has threatened to withhold federal funding from these institutions due to the issue. Rights activists have condemned the assault on academic freedom and free speech.
U.S. Law requires universities to disclose donations exceeding $250,000 per year from foreign sources.
The U.S. Department of Education wrote to Harvard President Alan Garber in a letter that Harvard had made “incomplete” and “inaccurate” disclosures from 2014 through 2019.
Linda McMahon, Education Secretary, said in a press release that “Today’s request for records is the first step taken by the Trump Administration to ensure Harvard does not follow the orders of foreign entities or be manipulated.” The letter did not provide any evidence that this was the case.
Harvard has been filing such reports “as part” of its compliance with the law for decades.
Harvard reports must include, as required by law, information about gifts and contracts exceeding $250K per year from foreign sources. The university stated that this includes contracts for executive education, training, and academic publications.
The letter also requested information within 30 days, including records of expelled foreign students dating back almost a decade. It also asked for research done by expelled students, and a list containing visiting researchers, faculty, and students at Harvard affiliated with foreign governments.
The Trump administration has been reviewing federal contracts and grants worth $9 billion to Harvard in recent weeks. They have also called for restrictions, including a DEI ban and a mask ban. They have threatened to strip Harvard’s tax-exempt status.
Harvard rejected on Monday a number of demands it claimed would give the government control. The Trump administration announced that it would freeze $2.3 billion of funding.
Trump has threatened to shut down universities that protested against Israel’s military offensive on Gaza, which was launched by the U.S. allies after an attack in October 2023 by Palestinian Hamas militants.
Trump portrays the protesters, including some Jewish groups, as antisemitic foreign policy threats that are sympathetic to Hamas. Some Jewish groups and protesters say that the Trump administration has wrongly linked their support for Palestinian rights, criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza, and advocacy for Palestinians with antisemitism.
The Trump administration has also tried to deport foreign protesters and has revoked visas for hundreds of people across the nation.
The Trump administration has frozen or canceled some funding for universities like Columbia, Princeton, Brown, the University of Pennsylvania, Cornell, and Northwestern as well.