In a significant development, former President Donald Trump has declared he will seek $1 billion in damages from Harvard University, reflecting a longstanding conflict between the Trump administration and the prestigious institution.
The announcement comes in the wake of a New York Times report stating that the Trump administration retracted its earlier demand for a $200 million payment during negotiations with Harvard.
Trump took to Truth Social to express his dissatisfaction, accusing Harvard of feeding a lot of nonsense to the New York Times and alleging a lack of action against antisemitism displayed amidst pro-Palestinian protests. The university has denied these accusations.
This latest move continues Harvard's position as a focal point in the White House's efforts to challenge what it deems woke ideologies on college campuses across America. Notably, in April of the previous year, Trump rescinded approximately $2 billion in federal research grants to Harvard and halted federal funding, with the university subsequently filing a lawsuit against the administration. A federal court later ruled against the Trump administration, deeming the funding cuts a violation of the university's free speech rights.
Despite their legal victory, the White House has vowed to contest the decision, declaring Harvard ineligible for grants in the future. Discussions had previously been held regarding potential resolutions to restore federal funding, but following Trump's latest announcement, the future of such negotiations appears bleak.
Trump’s criticism of Harvard extends to threats of revoking the university’s tax-exempt status and seizing control of patents stemming from federally funded research. Other Ivy League institutions such as Columbia, Penn, and Brown have reportedly struck agreements with Trump to safeguard their funding amid similar claims, opting to reach settlements rather than engaging in legal disputes.
