Trump Threatens To ‘Redistribute’ Harvard’s $3B In Grant Money To Trade Schools

President Donald Trump escalated his ongoing feud with Harvard University, posting on Truth Social, “I am considering taking Three Billion Dollars of Grant Money away from a very antisemitic Harvard and giving it to TRADE SCHOOLS all across our land. What a great investment that would be for the USA, and so badly needed!!!”

Trump did not specify which grants would be affected or how such a reallocation would be carried out.

Shortly after, he followed up with another post referencing international students at Harvard, writing, “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… But have no fear; the Government will, in the end, WIN!”

The president’s remarks refer to his administration’s move to rescind Harvard’s ability to admit international students, a group that currently makes up over 27% of the university’s student body. Trump cited Harvard’s refusal to comply with a public records request from the Department of Homeland Security as justification.

In response, Harvard sued the DHS, calling the move unconstitutional retaliation. “With the stroke of a pen, the government has sought to erase a quarter of Harvard’s student body,” the lawsuit states.

The clash between the White House and Harvard began in April when the university refused to comply with demands to change its admissions, disciplinary and governance standards. In response, the federal government halted the release of $2.2 billion in grant funding to the institution. 

In early May, Trump stated on social media that he planned to strip Harvard of its tax-exempt status, declaring, “It’s what they deserve!” In turn, Harvard has taken legal action against the administration, filing lawsuits over both the funding freeze and the crackdown on its ability to enroll international students.

During Trump’s first term, he pressured Harvard not to accept Covid-19 relief funds to which it was entitled by law.