Harvard University and the Trump administration are in conflict over the terms of a potential settlement after Education Secretary Linda McMahon sent a private letter that appeared to contradict what Harvard has stated it would do regarding federal complaints tied largely to antisemitism on campus and broader governance issues.
The letter, dated Saturday, addressed Harvard President Alan M. Garber and described what McMahon portrayed as a shared understanding of an emerging agreement between the university and the White House. However, Harvard officials have made clear in recent negotiations that the university would not pay federal funds to resolve the months-long dispute over antisemitism on campus and other concerns.
McMahon’s correspondence suggested the opposite, thanking Garber for what she characterized as a commitment to send $200 million to the government as part of an agreement. The administration and Harvard remain locked in tense disagreement about how, and whether, the school should address federal complaints centered on antisemitism and institutional governance.
When Trump took office, he pledged to cut funding from schools that defied his agenda, vowing to eliminate “wokeness.” His pressure campaign has specifically targeted Harvard following the university’s refusal to comply with his demands. Federal authorities have accused Harvard of tolerating antisemitism, particularly during last year’s protests related to the Israel-Hamas conflict. In a letter sent to the institution, officials described campus conditions as being “overrun by an impermissible, multiweek encampment” that left Jewish and Israeli students fearful and disrupted their studies.
President Garber has acknowledged problems with antisemitism and anti-Muslim bias on campus but stated Harvard has taken steps to combat prejudice. The Trump administration had previously reached settlement agreements with Columbia University and Brown University to resolve similar civil rights investigations and restore federal research funding.
