Judge Orders Trump To Restore $2.6bn Harvard Funding
A United States federal judge has ordered President Donald Trump’s administration to reverse over $2.6 billion in funding cuts against Harvard University, describing the move as politically motivated.
Judge Allison Burroughs of the US District Court in Boston, ruling on Wednesday, said the government’s action to freeze and slash Harvard’s research funds was an “ideologically-motivated assault” masked under claims of fighting antisemitism.
“A review of the administrative record makes it difficult to conclude anything other than that the government used antisemitism as a smokescreen for a targeted, ideologically-motivated assault on this country’s premier universities,” she ruled.
“The country must fight antisemitism, but it also must protect the right to free speech. If speech can be curtailed in the name of the Jewish people today, then just as easily the speech of the Jews (and anyone else) can be curtailed when the political winds change direction.”
The ruling restores Harvard’s access to federal funds and prevents further unconstitutional cuts. Harvard had argued that the administration retaliated against the institution in violation of the First Amendment and the Higher Education Act.
The Trump government had demanded sweeping reforms in Harvard’s governance, threatened to revoke its tax-exempt status, and sought to limit foreign student enrolment.
White House spokesperson Liz Huston confirmed plans to appeal the ruling, describing Judge Burroughs as “an activist Obama-appointed judge.”
“To any fair-minded observer, it is clear that Harvard University failed to protect their students from harassment and allowed discrimination to plague their campus for years. Harvard does not have a constitutional right to taxpayer dollars,” Huston stated.
Harvard President Alan Garber, in a message to staff and students, hailed the judgment as a win for academic freedom but admitted the legal battle was not over.
“Even as we acknowledge the important principles affirmed in today’s ruling, we will continue to assess the implications of the opinion, monitor further legal developments, and be mindful of the changing landscape in which we seek to fulfil our mission,” Garber said.
AP
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
