President Trump has mounted a sweeping campaign to impose his ideological worldview on some of the country's most prestigious colleges, using the millions of dollars they receive from the federal government as leverage to force them to change. On Monday, Harvard became the first university to significantly push back.
Late last week, the Trump administration sent Harvard a sweeping list of demands that would have overhauled the school’s on-campus policies and admissions procedures while giving the government power to shape its operations in the future. Harvard’s leaders announced in a letter released on Monday that they were refusing to comply.
“The University will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights,” Harvard President Alan Garber wrote.
The administration retaliated by revoking $2.2 billion in federal research grants that had been designated to go to Harvard.
Elite universities like Harvard rely on tuition payments and their massive endowments to cover the majority of their operating costs. But much of the scientific research that is conducted on their campuses can’t happen without the support of federal grants.
Trump accused Harvard of having “lost its way” in a post on Truth Social Wednesday, adding that the school “should no longer receive Federal Funds.” It’s unclear whether the additional $7 billion that Harvard is slated to receive beyond the funds that have already been frozen might also be under threat.
While Harvard is the first elite school to take such a definitive stand in defiance of the president’s demands, it is far from the only elite college to have hundreds of billions of dollars taken away by the government for ideological reasons.
These are the schools that have been targeted and what they have done in response:
Harvard
Amount revoked: $2.2 billion
Why it was cut: Harvard rejected the Trump administration's demands to impose sweeping reforms and grant the government power to control its operations.
What the Trump administration has said: "Harvard's statement today reinforces the troubling entitlement mindset that is endemic in our nation's most prestigious universities and colleges — that federal investment does not come with the responsibility to uphold civil rights laws," the administration's Joint Task Force on Antisemitism wrote in a statement after Harvard refused to comply.
What the school has said: In his letter, Harvard president Alan Garber wrote that, while the school does have work to do to make its campus culture more inclusive, those ends "will not be achieved by assertions of power, unmoored from the law, to control teaching and learning at Harvard and to dictate how we operate."
Columbia
Amount revoked: $400 million
Why it was cut: The administration said it was revoking the funds because of Columbia's "continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students" amid on-campus protests against Israel's war in Gaza.
How has the school responded: Columbia has agreed to comply with several of the Trump administration's demands, including overhauling its protest and security policies. Federal agencies called these moves "a positive first step" and the two sides are now negotiating the specifics of a reform plan that could end with the university's funding being restored.
What the Trump administration has said: "Columbia's early steps are a positive sign, but they must continue to show that they are serious in their resolve to end anti-Semitism and protect all students and faculty on their campus through permanent and structural reform," Josh Gruenbaum, a member of the Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism, said in a statement.
What the school has said: "We would reject any agreement in which the government dictates what we teach, research, or who we hire. And yes … we would reject any agreement that would require us to relinquish our independence and autonomy as an educational institution," acting Columbia president Claire Shipman said.
Cornell
Amount revoked: $1 billion
Why it was cut: A Trump administration official told CNN that the funds were revoked "in connection with several ongoing, credible, and concerning Title VI investigations," referring to the national law that bans discrimination within programs that receive federal funding.
What the school has said: Cornell's top officials said they are "actively seeking information from federal officials" to learn more about why their funding was cut, adding that "the university has worked diligently to create an environment where all individuals and viewpoints are protected and respected."
Northwestern
Amount revoked: $790 million
Why it was cut: The funding freeze comes amid an investigation into allegations of antisemitism and racial bias resulting from Northwestern's efforts to promote diversity and equity on its campus.
What the school has said: Before news of the cuts broke, Northwestern president Michael Schill said he is "doing all I can to protect our Jewish students from antisemitism." Schill and other university leaders released a statement calling the move "deeply disturbing" and arguing that the Trump administration's actions "cut to the core of what makes Northwestern one of the world's greatest universities."
University of Pennsylvania
Amount revoked: $175 million
Why it was cut: White House officials cited Penn's allowing a transgender athlete to compete on its women's swimming team in announcing the funding freeze.
What the school has said: Penn has asserted that it does not have its own transgender sports policy and has instead followed guidance from the NCAA, which allowed trans athletes to compete until recently.
In a statement, university president J. Larry Jameson wrote: “Federal funding freezes and cancellations jeopardize lifesaving and life-improving research, the loss of which will be felt by society and individuals far beyond our campus for years to come.”
Princeton
Amount revoked: $214 million
Why it was cut: The bulk of the funding was suspended as part of the Trump administration's investigation into alleged antisemitic harassment on the Princeton campus. An additional $4 million was revoked specifically from the university's climate change research program.
What the Trump administration has said: The administration accused Princeton's climate researchers of promoting "exaggerated and implausible climate threats" that it argued "fosters fear rather than rational, balanced discussion."
What the school has said: In a New York Times article, Princeton president Christopher Eisgruber was quoted as saying: "I think universities have a responsibility, no matter where funding is coming from, whether it's from a private donor or from the government, to ensure that in taking the funding, they don't accept any strings that are inconsistent with academic freedom."
Johns Hopkins
Amount revoked: $800 million
Why it was cut: The funds were part of grants through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which the Trump administration has been attempting to shut down.
How the university has responded: Nearly 2,000 people working on aid and development projects around the world will lose their jobs, along with 250 workers here in the U.S.
What the Trump administration has said: The White House hasn't officially commented on the cuts to Johns Hopkins. But Elon Musk, whose Department of Government Efficiency oversaw the gutting of USAID, called the agency a "radical-left political psy op" and a "criminal organization" while arguing that the government's relationship with elite universities is a "ripoff!"
What the school has said: "We will continue to advocate vigorously and passionately for the importance of our community's work," said University president Ron Daniels. "Time and again, we have met the moment, sought new opportunities, and charted our course forward with determination and vision. We will do so again."
