Identity of Speakers
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Harvard University
Faculty/Staff
OtherA private research institution suing the Trump administration over federal funding cuts it alleges are politically motivated and infringe on its constitutional rights and research activities.
Additional Information
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Incident Nature:
Lawsuit
Other
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Incident Political Orientation:
Not Clear -
Incident Responses:
Litigation
Title IX or other federal statute
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Incident Status:
In litigation Federal District Court
In litigation Federal Court of Appeals
- Did not involve Speech Codes
Summary
In April 2025, Harvard University filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s freeze of approximately $2.3 billion in federal research funding, alleging the cuts were politically motivated and violated the First Amendment as well as federal administrative procedures. The funding freeze followed accusations from a federal task force that Harvard had not adequately addressed antisemitism and racial discrimination on campus. Subsequently, the administration terminated an additional $450 million in grants from multiple federal agencies, further impacting critical research programs.
In response to the funding freeze, Harvard allocated $250 million from its endowment to support ongoing research and sought partnerships with private corporations to fill the funding gap, although university officials acknowledged private sources could not fully replace federal support.
In June 2025, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) briefly lifted a three-month freeze on new research grants to Harvard but reinstated the pause hours later amid ongoing negotiations between the university and the federal government. The freeze affected more than 170 NIH-funded projects, heightening uncertainty for researchers.
A hearing to consider Harvard’s motion for summary judgment seeking to overturn the funding cuts was schedule for July 21, 2025.
