First Lady Melania Trump has dismissed widespread speculation that the Trump administration’s crackdown on Harvard University was motivated by a personal vendetta over the alleged rejection of their son, Barron Trump. “Barron did not apply to Harvard, and any assertion that he, or that anyone on his behalf, applied is completely false,” said Melania’s communications director, Nicholas Clemens, in an official statement. Barron Trump, 19, is currently a student at New York University. Social media theories linking him to the Harvard row gained traction after the administration slashed all remaining federal funding to the Ivy League university.
$100 Million in federal contracts slashed
On Tuesday, May 27, the Trump administration escalated its battle with Harvard by ordering the termination of approximately $100 million in federal contracts with the university. This follows a broader freeze of $3.2 billion in grants and contracts over the last month, according to The New York Times. The administration’s demands—first issued in April—called for sweeping changes to Harvard’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policies, governance, international student admissions, and more. Harvard reportedly refused to comply, prompting the funding cuts.
Legal battles and research at risk amid federal pressure
In response to the administration’s pressure, Harvard filed a lawsuit on April 21, challenging the federal demands concerning its leadership, governance, and admissions practices. A temporary restraining order was granted on May 23 by U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs, halting the administration’s move to revoke the university’s certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program. This certification allows Harvard to host international students with F-1 and J-1 visas. The funding freeze has already begun to impact research. Harvard scientists warned in April that critical studies are at risk. One tuberculosis researcher told The Boston Globe that laboratory monkeys used in the study could face euthanasia due to halted National Institutes of Health (NIH) support.
While Harvard has chosen to resist the administration’s demands in court, Columbia University—another Ivy League institution—agreed in March to increased federal oversight, particularly over its Middle East studies program. The Trump administration claims its actions aim to curb antisemitism and protect women’s sports. However, critics argue the measures are anti-Palestinian and discriminatory toward transgender athletes.
Harvard accused of ‘Liberal Bias’ as Trump threatens tax-exempt status
President Donald Trump has frequently lashed out at Harvard, accusing it of being a “hotbed of liberalism” and antisemitism. Since returning to the White House in January, the Trump administration has intensified its scrutiny of elite universities, particularly in response to pro-Palestinian protests on campuses.
In addition to funding cuts, the administration has threatened to revoke Harvard’s tax-exempt status and instructed federal agencies to identify and potentially cancel any remaining financial contracts with the university. According to AFP, federal agencies were instructed this week to review and potentially redirect Harvard-linked contracts deemed nonessential.