Harvard is hoping court rules Trump administration's US$2.6B research cuts were illegal
BOSTON — Harvard University will appear in federal court Monday to make the case that the Trump administration illegally cut US$2.6 billion from the storied college — a pivotal moment in its battle against the federal government.
If U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs decides in the university's favor, the ruling would reverse a series of funding freezes that later became outright cuts as the Trump administration escalated its fight with the nation's oldest and wealthiest university. Such a ruling, if it stands, would revive Harvard's sprawling scientific and medical research operation and hundreds of projects that lost federal money.
'This case involves the Government's efforts to use the withholding of federal funding as leverage to gain control of academic decisionmaking at Harvard,' the university said in its complaint. 'All told, the tradeoff put to Harvard and other universities is clear: Allow the Government to micromanage your academic institution or jeopardize the institution's ability to pursue medical breakthroughs, scientific discoveries, and innovative solutions.'
A second lawsuit over the cuts filed by the American Association of University Professors and its Harvard faculty chapter has been consolidated with the university's.
Harvard's lawsuit accuses President Donald Trump's administration of waging a retaliation campaign against the university after it rejected a series of demands in an April 11 letter from a federal antisemitism task force.
The letter demanded sweeping changes related to campus protests, academics and admissions. For example, the letter told Harvard to audit the viewpoints of students and faculty and admit more students or hire new professors if the campus was found to lack diverse points of view. The letter was meant to address government accusations that the university had become a hotbed of liberalism and tolerated anti-Jewish harassment on campus.
Harvard President Alan Garber pledged to fight antisemitism but said no government 'should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.'
The same day Harvard rejected the demands, Trump officials moved to freeze $2.2 billion in research grants. Education Secretary Linda McMahon declared in May that Harvard would no longer be eligible for new grants, and weeks later the administration began canceling contracts with Harvard.
As Harvard fought the funding freeze in court, individual agencies began sending letters announcing that the frozen research grants were being terminated. They cited a clause that allows grants to be scrapped if they no longer align with government policies.
Harvard, which has the nation's largest endowment at $53 billion, has moved to self-fund some of its research, but warned it can't absorb the full cost of the federal cuts.
In court filings, the school said the government 'fails to explain how the termination of funding for research to treat cancer, support veterans, and improve national security addresses antisemitism.'
The Trump administration denies the cuts were made in retaliation, saying the grants were under review even before the April demand letter was sent. It argues the government has wide discretion to cancel contracts for policy reasons.
'It is the policy of the United States under the Trump Administration not to fund institutions that fail to adequately address antisemitism in their programs,' it said in court documents.
The research funding is only one front in Harvard's fight with the federal government. The Trump administration also has sought to prevent the school from hosting foreign students, and Trump has threatened to revoke Harvard's tax-exempt status.
Finally, last month, the Trump administration formally issued a finding that the school tolerated antisemitism — a step that eventually could jeopardize all of Harvard's federal funding, including federal student loans or grants. The penalty is typically referred to as a 'death sentence.'
Michael Casey, The Associated Press
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Globe and Mail
7 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
Will Trump's New Executive Order Fast-Track Lockheed's Space Ambitions?
On Aug. 13, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a new executive order, aimed at dramatically accelerating the U.S. commercial space industry by reducing environmental review timelines, streamlining launch and spaceport permits, and expediting approvals for novel missions to enhance national and economic security. This regulatory push should act as a major growth catalyst for defense titan, Lockheed Martin Corp. ( LMT ), which has been at the forefront of the space industry for more than half a century now. Notably, Lockheed is a prime contractor for NASA's deep-space Orion spacecraft and builds key satellites for national security. LMT's most direct benefit comes through its joint venture with Boeing, United Launch Alliance ('ULA'), which is a major player in launching crucial government payloads. In particular, the order's mandate to expedite environmental reviews at launch sites and the push to reform safety rules for vehicles with advanced flight termination systems can be projected to expedite ULA's Vulcan Centaur rocket launch with less delay and cost. As this executive order slashes regulatory delays and costs, Lockheed's strategy to commercialize Orion through reusability and flexible missions should prove beneficial. By streamlining launch cadence and approvals, the order directly supports Lockheed's push to improve cost-effectiveness and meet NASA's evolving space exploration needs more competitively. Other Stocks to Benefit LMT apart, stocks like Boeing ( BA ) and L3Harris Technologies ( LHX ) that are deeply involved in space missions should also benefit from the aforementioned executive order, which pushes to substantially increase commercial space launch cadence. Notably, Boeing is part of NASA's Space Launch System ('SLS'), the only proven deep-space optimized, super-heavy lift rocket built to carry astronauts and cargo farther and faster than any rocket in history. BA is the prime contractor for the SLS program's core stage, upper stage and avionics systems. On the other hand, L3Harris is involved in the Artemis II mission through its Aerojet Rocketdyne business unit, which provides the RS-25 engines that power the SLS core stage. The company supported more than 2,100 space launches that provided critical intelligence to the United States. The Zacks Rundown for LMT Shares of LMT have lost 9% in the year-to-date period against the industry 's 26.9% growth. The company's shares are trading at a discount on a relative basis, with its forward 12-month Price/Earnings being 16.26X compared with its industry's average of 27.54X. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for LMT's near-term earnings has moved south in the past 60 days. LMT currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. See our %%CTA_TEXT%% report – free today! 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report The Boeing Company (BA): Free Stock Analysis Report Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT): Free Stock Analysis Report L3Harris Technologies Inc (LHX): Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (
CTV News
37 minutes ago
- CTV News
Bessent says U.S. tariff revenues to rise ‘substantially,' focus on reducing debt
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he had not spoken with U.S. President Donald Trump about the idea of using funds from the tariffs to create a dividend for Americans, but stressed that both of them were 'laser-focused' on paying down the debt. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) WASHINGTON — U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he expects a big jump in revenues from sweeping tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, and said the money would be used first to start paying down the federal debt, not to give rebate checks to Americans. Bessent, speaking in an interview on CNBC's 'Squawk Box,' said he expected to substantially revise upward his earlier estimate of US$300 billion in revenues from the tariffs, but declined to be more specific. Bessent said he had not spoken with Trump about the idea of using funds from the tariffs to create a dividend for Americans, but stressed that both of them were 'laser-focused' on paying down the debt. 'I've been saying that tariff revenue could be $300 billion this year. I'm going to have to revise that up substantially,' Bessent said. 'We're going to bring down the deficit to GDP. We'll start paying down the debt, and then at that point that can be used as an offset to the American people.' The U.S. economy could return to the 'good, low-inflationary growth' of the 1990s, Bessent said, but he blamed higher interest rates for problems plaguing some pockets of the economy, singling out housing and lower-income households with high credit card debt. A cut in the Federal Reserve's key interest rate - which Trump has continually pressed for - could help facilitate a boom or pickup in home building, which would help keep prices down in one to two years, he said. The U.S. Census Bureau on Tuesday reported a small increase in groundbreaking for single-family homes and permits for future construction in July, even as high mortgage rates and economic uncertainty continued to hamper home purchases. Trump's wide-ranging import tariffs have kept the Federal Reserve from lowering interest rates this year, with most central bank policymakers wary of easing borrowing costs until they have more confidence the levies will not rekindle inflation, which has yet to return to the Fed's two per cent target. Recent indications of softening in the job market, however, have largely convinced investors that the Fed will cut rates by a quarter of a percentage point when it meets in mid-September. That expectation has helped bring down mortgage rates in recent weeks. Bessent has previously said a 50-basis-point cut in rates was warranted. (Reporting by Andrea ShalalEditing by Mark Potter and Leslie Adler)
National Post
4 hours ago
- National Post
Raymond J. de Souza: Trump pledged to end Ukraine war in 24 hours. How's that working out?
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. U.S. President Donald Trump, right, greets Russian President Vladimir Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska on Friday. Photo by Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo U.S. President Donald Trump never did specify in which 24-hour period he would end the Ukraine war. Eventually, the war will end, and he will brag that THE DAY HAS COME. After all, the First World War ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Given that bombing continued even that very November morning, it ended in one hour! THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS Enjoy the latest local, national and international news. Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events. Unlimited online access to National Post. National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE ARTICLES Enjoy the latest local, national and international news. Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events. Unlimited online access to National Post. National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Trump's much-promised day was not in February when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the White House at the end of a month-long campaign by Trump and Vice-President JD Vance to force a Ukrainian surrender, in which they blamed Ukrainians for starting the war in the first place by not pre-emptively surrendering. The day did not come last week in Alaska, when Trump literally rolled out the red carpet for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump had demanded a ceasefire from Putin, promising severe consequences otherwise. Putin instead continued bombing even while Trump capitulated to him in Anchorage. The 'severe consequence' was the honour of a military flyover and a ride in the presidential limo. This newsletter tackles hot topics with boldness, verve and wit. (Subscriber-exclusive edition on Fridays) By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again What would have happened had Putin ordered a ceasefire? Perhaps we were spared the osculatory intimacy of the late Soviet period, when Leonid Brezhnev and East Germany's Erich Honecker creeped out the world with the socialist fraternal kiss. That is not Trump's style, but for Putin his affection is extravagant. Putin pines for the late Soviet period. He wants Ukraine back, he has de facto got Belarus back and Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia know he wants them back, which is why they joined NATO the first chance they got. His foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, arrived in Alaska wearing a white 'C.C.C.P.' sweater — the Cyrillic spelling of U.S.S.R. Somewhere in China, President Xi Jinping's factories are making 'Make the U.S.S.R. Great Again' hats to ship to his ally in Moscow. Trump had planned a lunch for Putin, but the meeting was cut short. The Russian bear was likely already full, having gorged himself on the TACOs already provided. TACO stands for 'Trump Always Chickens Out,' but in Alaska it meant 'Trump Abandons the Ceasefire Obligation.' Alarmed at what further severe consequences Putin will be granted for continuing to bomb Ukraine, Zelenskyy and all of Europe — the leaders of NATO, the European Union, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Finland — rushed to Washington on Monday. It was an unprecedented diplomatic display, a united front desperately trying to persuade Trump to abandon last week's position on Ukraine — TACOs are served! — in favour of his ceasefire position of the previous week. It's now wholly impossible to determine what Trump's Ukraine policy is, so rapidly does it change. Perhaps Putin abbreviated the meeting because he got all that he could reasonably imagine getting — no ceasefire, no additional sanctions, no confiscation of frozen assets, no severe consequences, implied American approval for the annexation of Ukrainian territory. This advertisement has not loaded yet. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The only apparent concession Putin made — claimed by the Trump administration — was a promise to accept American security assistance after the most strategic parts of Ukraine are sacrificed. But Russia and the United States made security assurances to each other, and to Ukraine, in 1994. Twenty years later, Putin began his 11-year war against his neighbour. Had Trump even a fraction of the moral courage and diplomatic competence of former U.S. president Ronald Reagan — whose motto he mimics, while understanding neither 'peace' nor 'strength' — he would have insisted that Putin return at least some of the 20,000 Ukrainian children he has kidnapped. The forced removal of Ukrainian children — some indoctrinated against their own homeland and forced into Russian military service — is the grounds on which Putin was indicted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court. TACO again: 'Trump Absent on Children's Outrage.' Instead, Trump hid behind the skirt of the first lady, delivering an anodyne letter from Melania Trump generically in favour of sparing children the horror of war. During the Reagan administration, every high level Soviet-American meeting included the mention, by name, of specific dissidents. At his 1988 summit with Mikhail Gorbachev, Reagan insisted on meeting publicly with Soviet dissidents, to the great annoyance of his hosts. Reagan defended their human rights in Moscow; Trump could not speak for abducted children on his own Alaskan soil. Trump is fundamentally sympathetic with Putin's cause, even if he's frustrated that Putin is an obstacle to his lust for the Nobel Peace Prize. Recall that when Putin invaded Ukraine in 2014, U.S. President Barack Obama and John Kerry, then secretary of state, repeatedly inveighed against his '19th-century thinking' — a worldview of imperial expansion. Putin batted that away, arguing to the Russian Duma that this was about the 10th-century, that Russia and Ukraine were a single spiritual, fraternal and cultural entity that must be ruled politically, even tyrannically, from Moscow. Obama and Kerry considered '19th-century' to be a criticism. Trump loves the 19th-century. James Monroe, Andrew Jackson and William McKinley are his favourite presidents. He loves tariffs and territorial expansion. He loves the 'near abroad' thinking of Putin, and speaks of Canada, Greenland and Panama in the same way that Putin speaks of Ukraine. His second inaugural address made that clear: 'We gave (the canal) to Panama, and we're taking it back.' Trump is not attempting to take back even a square inch of Ukrainian territory from Putin, and not even a single stolen child. The 24-hours on Monday in Washington were an act of gratitude that the 24-hours in Alaska were not even worse.
