The administration of Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit against Harvard University, alleging violations of federal civil rights laws over the institution’s handling of antisemitism on campus.
The case, filed by the United States Department of Justice in a federal court in Massachusetts on Friday, marks a major escalation in a prolonged dispute between the federal government and one of America’s most prestigious universities.
In its filing, the Justice Department accused Harvard of failing to adequately address antisemitic incidents, stating that the government would not tolerate such lapses.
It added that the lawsuit seeks to compel compliance with civil rights laws and recover billions of dollars in taxpayer-funded support allegedly granted to what it described as a discriminatory institution.
The legal action follows an extensive federal investigation into campus antisemitism, which has evolved into a broader political and legal confrontation.
Prior to the lawsuit, the administration had already imposed punitive measures, including cutting more than $2.6 billion in research funding, terminating federal contracts, and attempting to restrict the university’s ability to admit international students.
Harvard had contested the allegations, launching its own legal challenges and maintaining that it is being unfairly singled out.
In earlier proceedings, a federal judge ruled in favour of the university, overturning funding cuts and suggesting that the antisemitism claims were being used as a pretext.
Efforts to resolve the dispute through negotiations have repeatedly broken down.
Initial proposals reportedly involved Harvard paying $500 million to regain access to federal funding, but that figure later rose to $1 billion as tensions between both sides deepened.
The administration’s civil rights inquiry concluded in June with a formal determination that Harvard had tolerated antisemitism.
A federal task force went further, describing the university as a “willful participant” in the harassment of Jewish students and faculty, while warning that legal consequences would follow if corrective actions were not taken.
Responding to the findings, Harvard acknowledged that antisemitism remains a serious concern but rejected the government’s conclusions.
The university stated that it has implemented concrete and proactive measures aimed at addressing the issue within its community.
Since returning to office, Trump has increased scrutiny of elite academic institutions, accusing them of promoting left-leaning ideologies while failing to ensure the safety and inclusion of Jewish students.
Other universities, including Columbia University and Brown University, have reached financial settlements with the administration in attempts to restore federal funding and resolve similar disputes.
The lawsuit against Harvard is expected to trigger a high-stakes legal battle, with potential implications for the relationship between the federal government and higher education institutions across the United States.
