WASHINGTON (BN24) — The Trump administration has determined that Harvard University violated federal civil rights laws by failing to protect Jewish and Israeli students from persistent harassment and threats, according to a letter obtained by the Wall Street Journal.
The administration’s letter, sent Monday to Harvard President Alan Garber, accused the university of displaying “deliberate indifference” as Jewish and Israeli students were repeatedly targeted on campus. Administration attorneys warned Harvard it risked losing all federal financial support if it did not act immediately to address the findings.
“Failure to institute adequate changes immediately will result in the loss of all federal financial resources and continue to affect Harvard’s relationship with the federal government,” the letter stated.
The decision marks the most serious escalation yet in the Trump administration’s efforts to penalize elite academic institutions it says have ignored antisemitism while promoting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies at the expense of campus safety.
Harvard, the nation’s oldest university, has emerged as a central target of the administration’s campaign, which has included moves to restrict the school’s tax exemptions and limit its ability to enroll international students.
According to the letter, Harvard allowed antisemitic harassment to persist unchecked for more than two years. Officials described incidents in which Jewish and Israeli students were “assaulted and spit on,” prompting many to hide their identities. The letter also cited antisemitic vandalism, including an Israeli flag defaced with a swastika and imagery showing a Star of David fused with a dollar sign.
The pressure on Harvard intensified after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel, which sparked a surge in tensions and protests on American campuses. In April, the university released internal reviews acknowledging that Jewish and Muslim students both felt threatened and describing efforts to ease hostility.
The civil rights finding could lead to a formal lawsuit by the Justice Department or a negotiated settlement. Previous administrations have typically favored voluntary agreements to resolve such complaints.
Even as the Trump administration raised the stakes with Harvard, the president hinted at possible reconciliation. Earlier this month, Trump suggested in a social media post that negotiations were progressing, writing: “We have been working closely with Harvard, and it is very possible that a Deal will be announced over the next week or so. They have acted extremely appropriately during these negotiations and appear to be committed to doing what is right.”
Harvard has filed its own lawsuit challenging the administration’s threats to funding and tax status, arguing that they violate constitutional protections of free speech and due process.
The administration has taken similar action against other universities. Last week, University of Virginia President Jim Ryan resigned after officials warned that UVA would face steep cuts to research funding, student aid, visas and jobs if he remained in office, according to Sen. Mark Warner.
The standoff underscores Trump’s broader pledge to crack down on what he calls ideological bias and anti-Jewish sentiment in higher education, even as universities warn that the administration’s approach threatens academic freedom.
