Trump Administration Targets Harvard With $100 Million Federal Contract Cuts Amid Ongoing Feud
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is escalating its battle with Harvard University by pushing federal agencies to cancel about $100 million worth of contracts with the Ivy League powerhouse, a senior official revealed Tuesday. This move adds to an already significant crackdown on the nation’s oldest and wealthiest university.
So far, the federal government has slashed more than $2.6 billion in research grants to Harvard, which has resisted the administration’s demands to change its leadership, governance, and admissions policies. Now, a draft letter from the General Services Administration (GSA) instructs agencies to review their contracts with Harvard and seek alternative vendors. The letter was expected to be sent out Tuesday.
The New York Times first uncovered this letter, which reflects growing tensions between the Trump administration and Harvard.
What’s at Stake? Contracts Under Review Include Executive Training and Research
The administration has identified roughly 30 contracts across nine federal agencies that could be canceled. These contracts, totaling around $100 million, cover a range of services — from executive training for Department of Homeland Security officials to graduate student research and even health studies linked to energy drinks.
For contracts deemed critical, agencies have been told not to halt work immediately but to prepare plans to switch to vendors other than Harvard.
Importantly, this directive targets federal contracts only, not the remaining research grants still awarded to Harvard.
Trump’s Broader Assault: Threatening Billions in Cuts and Targeting International Students
Over the weekend, President Trump ramped up his attack on Harvard via social media, threatening to cut an additional $3 billion in federal grants and redirect that funding to trade schools nationwide. However, he did not specify which grants would be affected or how the money would be reallocated.
Trump also criticized Harvard for allegedly refusing to release the names of its foreign students. He argued that their home countries contribute nothing to their education costs and claimed some of these countries “are not at all friendly to the United States.”
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In reality, international students don’t qualify for federal financial aid, but Harvard provides its own scholarships and aid to all students, both domestic and foreign.
“We are still waiting for the Foreign Student Lists from Harvard so that we can determine, after a ridiculous expenditure of BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, how many radicalized lunatics, troublemakers all, should not be let back into our Country,” Trump wrote on social media.
What exactly he’s demanding remains unclear, especially since the government already has access to visa and other records for foreign students across U.S. universities.
Foreign Student Records and Legal Pushback
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has demanded that Harvard hand over extensive records on its foreign students, including disciplinary files and any information related to “dangerous or violent activity.” Harvard says it complied, but DHS deemed the response insufficient and moved to revoke Harvard’s permission to enroll international students.
Harvard sued to block this move, and a federal judge in Boston temporarily halted the DHS action.
Global Reactions: Japan Steps In to Support Affected Students
Internationally, the situation is drawing concern. Japan’s government announced plans to support Harvard’s international students affected by these sanctions. Education Minister Toshiko Abe said she will ask Japanese universities to prepare measures to help those students.
The University of Tokyo, Japan’s most prestigious institution, is reportedly considering temporarily accepting some Harvard students caught in the crossfire.
This latest escalation highlights the deepening rift between Harvard and the Trump administration, with wide-ranging consequences for the university’s funding, its international students, and its role in federal research and education programs.
Source: AP News – Trump administration moves to cut $100 million in federal contracts for Harvard
