By Justin Choi

On Monday, the Trump administration froze over $2.2 billion in federal funding to Harvard University after the school refused to comply with the administration’s demands. 

In a letter sent by the federal government, it had demanded that Harvard eliminate DEI practices and screen foreign students who align themselves with pro-Hamas and pro-Palestinian movements. The government had also asked Harvard to report international students to federal authorities immediately if they ever break university policies. 

However, President Alan Garber refused to comply with the demands. In an open letter, the Harvard President said the Trump administration’s demands were unprecedented “assertions of power, unmoored from the law, to control teaching and learning at Harvard and to dictate how we operate.” 

As a result of Harvard’s rejection, President Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that Harvard “should lose its Tax Exempt Status and be Taxed as a Political Entity.” The IRS is also reportedly considering rescinding the Ivy League school’s tax-exempt status.

The Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, also threatened to block international students from attending the university. Noem detailed some of Harvard’s foreign students behaving in illegal and violent activities related to anti-semitism. 

Harvard’s rejection of the president’s demands will prove to be a significant one as it is the first major university to publicly go against the new administration. Harvard’s decision may embolden other higher institutions such as Columbia, Penn, and more to resist the Trump administration.