U.S. seeks billions from Harvard in alleged antisemitism suit
· Axios
The Trump administration sued Harvard on Friday, alleging the school "turned a blind eye" to the harassment of Jewish and Israeli students on campus in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks.
Why it matters: It's the latest example of the president using antisemitism investigations to influence university policy and administrators.
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What they're saying: In the 44-page filing, the U.S. alleges Harvard acted with "deliberate indifference to discriminatory harassment of Jewish and Israeli students and creation of a hostile educational environment."
- "This sent the clear message to Harvard's Jewish and Israeli community that the indifference was not an accident; they were being intentionally excluded and effectively denied equal access to educational opportunities."
- "By ignoring the plight Jews and Israelis, who experienced all the hostility alleged in this complaint, Harvard's diversity bureaucrats failed those on campus that needed their help the most and made a mockery of their own existence."
- Neither the Justice Department nor the university immediately responded to Axios' request for comment.
Zoom in: The U.S. filed the suit to "compel" Harvard to comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which bars discrimination based on race or national origin.
- The suit also seeks to "recover billions of dollars of taxpayer subsidies awarded to a discriminatory institution."
Catch up quick: Since returning to office, the Trump administration has tried to freeze Harvard's funding to push the university to address antisemitism and enact other reforms, including eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion policies.
- A judge ruled the president had illegally blocked nearly $3 billion in federal grants last September, and barred the administration from issuing new retaliatory freezes.
Go deeper: Universities have few good options under Trump's pressure campaign