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Key Points:
- The Trump administration aims to end $100 million in federal contracts with Harvard University, alleging race discrimination.
- The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) claims Harvard’s admissions and campus practices violate federal laws.
- President Trump wants to redirect Harvard’s funds to trade schools.
On May 27, 2025, the Trump administration pushed to cancel $100 million in federal contracts with Harvard University. The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) sent a letter to federal agencies. It asked them to review and terminate Harvard’s contracts. The GSA claims that Harvard practices racial discrimination in admissions and campus life. “Taxpayer money must go to those who follow nondiscrimination laws,” the letter said, per The New York Times.
The GSA cites a 2023 Supreme Court ruling against race-based admissions in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard. It alleges Harvard still discriminates in admissions and hiring. It also says Harvard fails to protect Jewish students from harassment. Harvard denies this. The university says it follows the ruling. Its Black first-year class fell from 18% to 14% in 2024, per The Washington Post. On X, @CrimsonCourage referred to the cuts as “political revenge.”
In April 2025, the administration froze $2.65 billion in Harvard grants because Harvard continued to support its diversity programs. On May 22, 2025, an attempt to ban international students, who make up 33% of Harvard’s 25,000 students, was blocked by a Boston judge, according to Reuters.
Trump, on Truth Social, proposed giving $3 billion in frozen funds to trade schools, calling Harvard “anti-Semitic.” Posts on X from @HarvardAlum criticized this as “unfair targeting.”
Harvard is suing the administration. It says the cuts violate free speech. President Alan Garber told NPR the funds support critical research. “This isn’t about Harvard,” he said. “It’s about science and health.”
The lawsuits claim that the administration’s demands, including reviewing student records, are unlawful. On X, @tribelaw backed Harvard, citing “constitutional violations.” Contracts at risk include a $523,000 Department of Defense deal and a $50,000 National Institutes of Health study, per NBC News.
Trump views Harvard as a “woke” symbol, according to CNN. He has called elite schools “Marxist” and attacked their DEI programs. The GSA demands that Harvard change its admissions and hiring practices, citing Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Critics, such as The Boston Globe, argue that it’s political, not legal. Harvard insists it ended race-based admissions in 2023.
What Next?
Agencies must report cancellations by June 6, 2025. Some contracts may shift to other vendors. Harvard’s lawsuits could stop the cuts. Losing $100 million would hurt research, Harvard says. Students protested in Cambridge on May 27, 2025, per AP News. On X, @JacobMillerHillel rejected claims of antisemitism. This fight could shape how federal funds are allocated to higher education.