President Donald Trump has demanded that Harvard University pay “nothing less than $500 million” to restore its frozen federal research funding. Speaking at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, he told Education Secretary Linda E. McMahon not to negotiate a lower figure, as reported by The Harvard Crimson.
“We want nothing less than $500 million from Harvard. Don’t negotiate, Linda,” Trump said. “They’ve been very bad. Don’t negotiate.”
This is the first time the White House has publicly tied a specific figure to the case. The administration froze more than $2 billion in Harvard’s research grants earlier this year, and the University has challenged the decision in federal court. Harvard asked US District Judge Allison D. Burroughs to rule before September 3, when the school would need to begin shutting down federally funded projects if the freeze remains.
Burroughs has questioned the administration’s legal reasoning, calling some arguments “a little bit mind-boggling.” The Trump administration has sought to transfer the case to the US Court of Federal Claims, a move that could slow Harvard’s efforts to recover funding. Trump has also accused Judge Burroughs of bias and vowed on his social media platform to “IMMEDIATELY appeal, and WIN” if the court rules against him.
Behind the scenes, Harvard and the administration have held talks on a possible settlement. University President Alan M. Garber ’76 earlier dismissed reports of a half-billion-dollar payment, but later reports suggest both sides have weighed a $500 million deal. Funds could be directed to vocational and educational initiatives rather than to the U.S. Treasury.
Meanwhile, the White House has reached separate agreements with other Ivy League schools. Columbia University agreed to pay $200 million to the federal government and $21 million to resolve investigations, while Brown University pledged $50 million for Rhode Island workforce development programs. Trump has pointed to the Columbia settlement to justify his demand for a larger sum from Harvard.
“We want nothing less than $500 million from Harvard. Don’t negotiate, Linda,” Trump said. “They’ve been very bad. Don’t negotiate.”
This is the first time the White House has publicly tied a specific figure to the case. The administration froze more than $2 billion in Harvard’s research grants earlier this year, and the University has challenged the decision in federal court. Harvard asked US District Judge Allison D. Burroughs to rule before September 3, when the school would need to begin shutting down federally funded projects if the freeze remains.
Burroughs has questioned the administration’s legal reasoning, calling some arguments “a little bit mind-boggling.” The Trump administration has sought to transfer the case to the US Court of Federal Claims, a move that could slow Harvard’s efforts to recover funding. Trump has also accused Judge Burroughs of bias and vowed on his social media platform to “IMMEDIATELY appeal, and WIN” if the court rules against him.
Behind the scenes, Harvard and the administration have held talks on a possible settlement. University President Alan M. Garber ’76 earlier dismissed reports of a half-billion-dollar payment, but later reports suggest both sides have weighed a $500 million deal. Funds could be directed to vocational and educational initiatives rather than to the U.S. Treasury.
Meanwhile, the White House has reached separate agreements with other Ivy League schools. Columbia University agreed to pay $200 million to the federal government and $21 million to resolve investigations, while Brown University pledged $50 million for Rhode Island workforce development programs. Trump has pointed to the Columbia settlement to justify his demand for a larger sum from Harvard.
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