Harvard University has been in the news plenty this week, as the Trump administration had decided it was done with the university not complying and is thus freezing funds. President Donald Trump himself has even posted over social media that Harvard should lose its tax status. On Wednesday night, Secretary Kristi Noem of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a cancelation of $2.7 million in grants to the institution.
The announcement came via a press release shared to the DHS website. Such an announcement began in part by declaring that Harvard is "unfit to be entrusted with taxpayer dollars." That's not all, though, as the university could face even more consequences. "The Secretary also wrote a scathing letter demanding detailed records on Harvard’s foreign student visa holders’ illegal and violent activities by April 30, 2025, or face immediate loss of Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification," the press release continued.
There's also information about the grants, and how the administration has already taken action and is preparing to take even further action:
The $800,303 Implementation Science for Targeted Violence Prevention grant branded conservatives as far-right dissidents in a shockingly skewed study. The $1,934,902 Blue Campaign Program Evaluation and Violence Advisement grant funded Harvard’s public health propaganda. Both undermine America’s values and security.
This action follows President Donald J. Trump’s decision to freeze $2.2 billion in federal funding to Harvard University, proposing the revocation of its tax-exempt status over its radical ideology.
President Donald Trump himself proposed over Truth Social on Tuesday morning that Harvard should lose its tax exempt status. On Wednesday, less than two days later, the administration also asked the IRS to do just that.
The press release also contains a statement from the secretary lashing out against Harvard for their rampant antisemitism. "Harvard bending the knee to antisemitism--driven by its spineless leadership--fuels a cesspool of extremist riots and threatens our national security," Noem said. "With anti-American, pro-Hamas ideology poisoning its campus and classrooms, Harvard’s position as a top institution of higher learning is a distant memory. America demands more from universities entrusted with taxpayer dollars."
In conclusion, the press release also reminds that Harvard can fund itself, though again, further consequences may be coming. "Since Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, Harvard’s foreign visa-holding rioters and faculty have spewed antisemitic hate, targeting Jewish students. With a $53.2 billion endowment, Harvard can fund its own chaos--DHS won’t. And if Harvard cannot verify it is in full compliance with its reporting requirements, the university will lose the privilege of enrolling foreign students," the release adds.
Harvard, and other institutions of higher learning, have found themselves entangled in scandal after a failure to stand up to antisemitism running rampant on their campuses since Israel was attacked by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Like other university presidents, Harvard's former president, Claudine Gay, resigned from her post, doing so in January 2024, less than one month after her particularly lacking response when asked by Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) during a House committee hearing if calling for the genocide of Jews violated the university's code of conduct. Gay claimed it depended on the context. She was also hit with allegations of serial plagiarism.
There's been plenty of chatter about Harvard's funding throughout this week. Hillsdale College, a Christian college, does not accept federal funding. As many have pointed out over social media, Hillsdale included, Harvard is free to go in that direction, rather than depend on the American taxpayer, especially when they don't need it.
There is another way:
— Hillsdale College (@Hillsdale) April 14, 2025
Refuse taxpayer money. https://t.co/qAtohdDE5C
Thank you, Sen. Cotton. Rejecting taxpayer money helps us to be true to our educational mission, and it could help other institutions. https://t.co/f5EtAL08SC
— Hillsdale College (@Hillsdale) April 15, 2025
Harvard doesn’t even enforce its own student handbook, not to mention compliance with the Civil Rights Act. They have a $53 billion endowment, why should they get any taxpayer dollars at all - especially when 60% of Americans don’t have a college degree. pic.twitter.com/3ti0AMu8ZC
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) April 16, 2025
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