McMahon: Harvard Talks Near Completion as Federal Probes Continue

U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon told reporters at the White House on Thursday that negotiations between the Trump administration and Harvard University are ongoing and are close to being finalized.

The administration has opened several investigations into Harvard to assess whether the university is complying with directives from President Donald Trump. Critics argue these inquiries amount to political persecution and have raised concerns about the potential politicization of federal oversight of higher education.

Next steps and reactions

McMahon did not provide a specific timeline for concluding the talks or detail the full scope of the investigations. Harvard officials have stated they will cooperate with legitimate inquiries while defending academic freedom and institutional autonomy. Observers say the outcome could influence how universities and the federal government interact on compliance and policy matters going forward.

Reporting by Nandita Bose and Gram Slattery; Edited by Chris Reese.