US President Donald Trump on Thursday launched fresh criticism at Harvard University, labeling the Ivy League institution an “Anti-Semitic, Far Left Institution” amid an intensifying legal dispute over federal funding, AFP reported.
Harvard filed a lawsuit earlier this week in response to a freeze on billions of dollars in government funding, imposed after Harvard declined to accept broad federal oversight measures introduced by the Trump administration.
“The place is a Liberal mess,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, adding that the school “has admitted students from all over the World that want to rip our Country apart.”
Harvard’s legal challenge followed the federal government’s announcement last week that it would freeze $2.2 billion in funding to Harvard due to its failure to fight campus antisemitism.
That move came after University President Alan M. Garber stated that Harvard would not comply with the administration’s directives.
On Monday, it was reported that the Trump administration is preparing to freeze another billion dollars in federal funding for Harvard University because the administration was angered by Harvard's decision to publish a letter listing the government's demands, as the contents of the letter were supposed to be kept private.
Trump’s administration has been taking action against American universities over alleged political and ideological bias in the wake of the uptick in antisemitism on campuses following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
Several elite institutions, including Harvard, have faced threats of reduced or suspended federal support under this initiative. In addition, authorities have moved to expel foreign students who participated in pro-Palestinian Arab demonstrations, citing alleged affiliations with Hamas.
On Wednesday, Trump issued an executive order that reshapes eligibility for federal grants and student loans. The directive seeks to curtail what the administration describes as “unlawful discrimination,” specifically referencing efforts to enhance minority representation on campus.
However, the administration encountered legal resistance. On Thursday, a New Hampshire federal court blocked the withholding of funds from public schools affiliated with the National Education Association (NEA) and the Center for Black Educator Development (CBED), organizations that promote equity and diversity in education. The injunction applies only to institutions employing or working with these groups.