Harvard sues Trump administration over $2.5 billion funding freeze

Harvard University on June 2 requested a federal judge to issue a summary judgment that would unfreeze $2.5 billion in federal research funding that the administration of President Donald Trump has withheld — a move Harvard argues is unlawful.

In a filing with the U.S. District Court in Boston, Harvard revealed that it has received 957 separate freeze orders since April 14, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The blocked funds affect research projects related to national security, cancer, infectious diseases, and other key areas. The university contends these orders followed its refusal to comply with a set of demands issued by the White House.

President Trump has said his efforts are intended to impose reform on Harvard and other elite institutions, which he accuses of being dominated by what he calls “woke” ideology and of harbouring antisemitic sentiment.

The Trump administration has not issued an immediate response to the filing.

U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs has scheduled oral arguments for July 21 regarding Harvard’s motion for summary judgment—a legal move that seeks a ruling in the case without a full trial by asserting there are no material facts in dispute.

Harvard filed its lawsuit in April, asserting that the funding freeze is not only unconstitutional — violating its right to free speech — but also arbitrary and lacking legal justification.

In its latest court submission, Harvard outlined the scope of the impacted grants. These include $88 million for pediatric HIV research, $12 million to improve the Defence Department’s preparedness for emerging biological threats, and $8 million aimed at studying dark energy. The university warned that halting these funds would effectively derail vital research on cancer therapies, infectious diseases, and Parkinson’s disease.

The Trump administration has launched multiple investigations into Harvard, some focused on reported threats against Jewish students and faculty in the wake of pro-Palestinian protests following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza.

Additional inquiries are examining possible discrimination based on sex and gender, as well as the university’s relationships with foreign governments and its international student population.

Last month, the administration moved to revoke Harvard’s authorisation to enrol international students — a decision that has been temporarily blocked by a judge in a separate case initiated by the university.

Harvard, along with other institutions, argues that President Trump’s actions pose a direct threat to academic freedom, freedom of expression, and the future viability of higher education in the United States.

By Tamilla Hasanova