President Trump announced his administration is seeking $1 billion from Harvard after reports that the university won concessions in settlement talks. The New York Times said the administration had dropped a prior $200 million demand, and Trump has previously referenced a proposed $500 million deal. A federal judge ruled that freezing nearly $2 billion in research grants violated Harvard's First Amendment rights, and the Justice Department plans to appeal. Harvard also successfully challenged a policy limiting international students.
Trump Says Administration Is Seeking $1 Billion From Harvard Amid Grant Freeze Ruling
President Donald Trump said late Monday that his administration is seeking $1 billion in damages from Harvard University, responding to a New York Times report that suggested the university had secured concessions in private settlement talks with the federal government.
“We are now seeking One Billion Dollars in damages, and want nothing further to do, into the future, with Harvard University,” Mr. Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
What Happened
The New York Times reported earlier that the administration had dropped a prior demand for a $200 million settlement after protracted negotiations. The Times, citing unnamed Harvard and administration officials, said some White House aides recently indicated the president no longer expected that $200 million payment.
Mr. Trump has at various times referenced other figures: last September he told reporters negotiators were close to a $500 million settlement that would have included plans to open new trade schools. In his Monday post he criticized that element as a “convoluted job training concept” that he said was inadequate and a way for Harvard to avoid a larger cash payout.
Legal Context And Court Ruling
In September a federal judge, U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs, ruled that the Trump administration violated Harvard's First Amendment rights and federal law when it froze nearly $2 billion in federal research grants amid allegations of antisemitism on campus. Burroughs described the grant freeze as part of a “government-initiated onslaught” that appeared aimed at promoting a governmental orthodoxy rather than addressing antisemitism.
Harvard also sued after the administration moved to bar most international students from entering the U.S. to study at the university; Judge Burroughs later blocked that policy. The Justice Department has said it will appeal the rulings.
Accusations And Reactions
Administration officials have accused Harvard and other colleges of promoting so-called “woke” ideology and of failing to adequately protect Jewish students during pro-Palestinian demonstrations, and they have filed legal complaints and sought substantial payouts as a result. Mr. Trump, however, did not specify which laws he says Harvard broke when asserting the case for damages.
Critics say the administration's actions amount to political pressure on predominantly liberal universities. CBS News has contacted Harvard for comment.
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