Harvard University has escalated its legal battle with the Trump administration, filing an expanded lawsuit in federal court after officials announced the termination of an additional $50 million in federal grants. This latest move deepens a growing conflict fueled by allegations of antisemitism on the Ivy League campus.
The updated complaint, filed in Boston, builds on Harvard’s original April 22 lawsuit, which challenged the administration’s earlier decision to freeze $2.2 billion in federal funding. The revised suit now targets fresh grant cancellations from key agencies, including the Departments of Defense and Energy, as well as the National Science Foundation.
At the heart of the controversy is a federal antisemitism task force—comprised of officials from the Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Justice—which accuses Harvard of failing to adequately address what it calls “pervasive race discrimination and anti-Semitic harassment.”
In a new and aggressive step, Education Secretary Linda McMahon has threatened to withhold billions in future research funding unless Harvard complies with administration directives. The university argues these actions violate its First Amendment rights, lack due process, and are politically motivated.
The dispute stems from months of pro-Palestinian demonstrations on Harvard’s campus, which Trump officials claim have fostered a hostile, antisemitic environment. Protesters, including many Jewish students and faculty, reject the accusation, asserting that criticism of Israeli policy in Gaza is being unfairly conflated with antisemitism.
While Harvard says it remains committed to combating antisemitism and safeguarding campus inclusivity, it warns that the government’s funding freeze threatens core academic freedoms. Despite boasting a $53 billion endowment—the largest of any U.S. university—Harvard relies heavily on federal grants to support scientific and medical research.
Related: Harvard Law Review Accused of Racial Discrimination
A court hearing is scheduled for July 21, as tensions continue to rise. In a further blow, the Trump administration has also floated the idea of revoking Harvard’s tax-exempt status, signaling that the standoff between Washington and the nation’s most prominent university is far from over.