Basking in the adulation of MAGA loyalists, the same task force that cut $400m from Columbia University for a perceived pro-Palestine posture is now reviewing $255 million in contracts and $8.7 billion in grant commitments to Harvard.
The world’s top-ranked university is now under review by the US antisemitism task force, with scrutiny of dozens of other universities likely to follow.
In anticipation of the scrutiny, Harvard last week announced that Professor Cemal Kafadar, the head of its Centre for Middle Eastern Studies would be stepping down, following criticism that programming had been antisemitic.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon called for Harvard to demonstrate contrition.
“Harvard’s failure to protect students on campus from anti-Semitic discrimination – all while promoting divisive ideologies over free inquiry – has put its reputation in serious jeopardy. Harvard can right these wrongs and restore itself to a campus dedicated to academic excellence and truth-seeking, where all students feel safe on its campus.”
While the value of the multi-year grants under review is huge, the pursuit of the university by the Trump Administration does not come as a surprise. When JD Vance served in the Senate he introduced a Bill which proposed increasing the tax on university endowments from the current 1.4% to 35%. While the Bill failed, new proposals for lower tax rates have emerged last month, with proposals to introduce a 10% tax.
US universities face challenges on multiple fronts as the Trump Administration seeks to root out programs supporting Diversity Equity and Inclusion, transgender rights, climate change-related research and campus protests the administration classifies as illegal. More than 50 universities are under investigation for DEI programs alone.
