Trump administration unlawfully canceled Harvard funding

A US federal court ruled on Wednesday that the Trump administration had unlawfully cut approximately $2.2 billion in funding that had been awarded to Harvard University. Harvard may no longer be excluded from access to research funding.

The decision by Judge Allison Burroughs in Boston is a major legal victory for Harvard. The university had argued that the administration was seeking to punish it for refusing to implement internal reforms based on political directives. The background to this was the claim that Harvard had not done enough to combat anti-Semitism on campus.

Judge Burroughs, appointed by President Obama, ruled that the government had used anti-Semitism as a pretext for an ideologically motivated attack on leading US universities. Terminating the funding violated Harvard's right to freedom of expression under the First Amendment.

The government was prevented from blocking further funds or refusing new grants. The White House announced it would appeal.

Harvard President Alan Garber welcomed the ruling as a confirmation of academic freedom and the importance of independent research.

(reuters, est)