Trump Threatens Harvard’s $9 Billion in Federal Funding Over Antisemitism Concerns

The Trump administration announced overnight (Monday to Tuesday) that it is reassessing approximately $9 billion in federal funding provided to Harvard University, citing concerns that the institution has allowed antisemitism to take root on its campus.

Harvard Has not Done Enough to Fight Antisemitism

The move marks a significant escalation in the administration’s pressure campaign on elite academic institutions it accuses of failing to respond adequately to antisemitic incidents.

According to the U.S. General Services Administration, the funding under review includes $256 million in active contracts and multi-year grants totaling $8.7 billion.

“Harvard’s recent efforts to address institutional antisemitism are a step in the right direction,” the statement read, “but they are insufficient to justify continued taxpayer funding.”

Harvard Cuts Ties With Palestinian University

Last week, Harvard suspended its cooperation with Birzeit University in the West Bank, citing concerns over alleged links to terrorist organizations. The decision came after the expiration of a memorandum of understanding between the institutions. Harvard’s School of Public Health—the only entity with an active partnership—has since frozen all collaboration, though individual academic contacts may still continue.

This development comes amid mounting pressure on U.S. universities to adopt stricter policies against antisemitism, especially in light of recent campus protests and incidents since the outbreak of war in Gaza.