Trump Administration Pressures Federal Agencies to Cut $100M in Harvard Contracts

Federal officials urge departments to cancel existing agreements and avoid future partnerships with Harvard, as Trump escalates his campaign against the university.

Harvard Square from above, via Henry Dixon on Unsplash

The Trump administration has urged federal agencies to cancel all remaining contracts with Harvard University - roughly $100 million worth - marking the latest escalation in its ongoing battle with the Ivy League school. (CNN)

The directive comes just weeks after Harvard sued the federal government for freezing $2.2 billion in research grants, accusing it of ideological retaliation.

“We recommend that your agency terminate for convenience each contract that it determines has failed to meet its standards,” wrote Josh Gruenbaum of the General Services Administration in a letter to federal procurement officials. “Going forward, we also encourage your agency to seek alternative vendors for future services where you had previously considered Harvard,” he added. (Politico)

The letter also cites complaints that Harvard engages in racial discrimination in admissions and shows a “disturbing lack of concern for the safety and wellbeing of Jewish students.” The GSA has asked agencies to report their plans for contract termination by June 6. (CNN)

Harvard has not commented publicly on the latest order, but the university has broadly rejected earlier demands from the White House, including access to conduct records for foreign students and mandated “viewpoint diversity” audits. (CNN)

---

As the standoff escalates, Trump’s war with Harvard could reshape how political ideology influences federal education funding for years to come.

In today’s Pro Brief, we break down the deeper funding threats, dive further into the growing fallout, and examine the international response to Trump’s attempt to block Harvard from enrolling international students.