Trump administration's funding for Harvard unlawfully revoked, per US court decision

Federal Judge Decides Trump Administration Illegally Cancels Nearly $2.2 Billion in Grant Awards

, and Administrator

2025 September 13 . 12:41 PM

2 min read

Federal funding for Harvard University was unlawfully reduced by the Trump administration, as ruled... — Federal funding for Harvard University was unlawfully reduced by the Trump administration, as ruled by a US judge

Trump administration's funding for Harvard unlawfully revoked, per US court decision

In a significant legal victory for Harvard University, US District Judge Allison Burroughs has ordered the Trump administration to release approximately $2.2 billion in grants that were unlawfully terminated. The decision marks a turning point in the ongoing conflict between the Ivy League institution and the White House.

The dispute between Harvard and the Trump administration was centred around the pro-Palestinian protest movement that stirred up Harvard's campus and other universities. The administration had made Harvard a focal point of its campaign to leverage federal funding to force change at US universities.

Judge Burroughs described the government's action as an "ideologically motivated attack," stating that the administration's true aim was not to combat antisemitism, but to pressure Harvard to accede to its demands in violation of its free-speech rights under the US Constitution's First Amendment.

The administration had sought to bar international students from attending Harvard, threatened the university's accreditation status, and opened the door to cutting off more funds by finding it violated federal civil rights law. However, Burroughs has already barred the administration from halting Harvard's ability to host international students.

Harvard has acknowledged that Jewish and Israeli students experienced "vicious and reprehensible" treatment following the onset of Israel's war in Gaza. In response, the university sued the Trump administration, arguing it was retaliating against the university in violation of its free-speech rights.

Harvard litigated the grant funding case alongside the school's faculty chapter of the American Association of University Professors. The association's lawyers stated that bargaining the Harvard community's rights in a compromise with the government is unacceptable.

White House spokesperson Liz Huston called Judge Burroughs an "activist Obama-appointed judge" and said Harvard "does not have a constitutional right to taxpayer dollars." Huston also stated that the White House will immediately move to appeal the decision and is confident it will ultimately prevail in its efforts to hold Harvard accountable.

Three other Ivy League schools have made deals with the administration, including Columbia University, which agreed to pay $220 million. However, Harvard has not responded to requests for comment.

Trump renewed his call for Harvard to settle with the administration and pay $500 million during an Aug. 26 cabinet meeting. Despite this, it seems that the university is standing firm in its legal battle against the administration. The future of this conflict remains to be seen.