Harvard University has been a main target of the Trump administration\u2019s attempt to leverage federal funding in order to crack down on antisemitism and \u201cwoke\u00a0\u00bb ideology.<\/b>
\nPresident Donald Trump said Monday that he is seeking $1 billion in damages from Harvard University.
Harvard has been a main target of the Trump administration\u2019s attempt to leverage federal funding in order to crack down on antisemitism and \u00ab\u00a0woke\u00a0\u00bb ideology. The New York Times published a Monday report headlined, \u00ab\u00a0Trump Is Said to Have Dropped Demand for Cash From Harvard\u00a0\u00bb, that suggested the president was no longer seeking a $200 million payment to the government. Trump took to social media, blasting the Times and saying he now wants the prestigious university to shell out even more cash.
\u00ab\u00a0Strongly Antisemitic Harvard University has been feeding a lot of \u2018nonsense\u2019 to The Failing New York Times. Harvard has been, for a long time, behaving very badly! They wanted to do a convoluted job training concept, but it was turned down in that it was wholly inadequate and would not have been, in our opinion, successful. It was merely a way of Harvard getting out of a large cash settlement of more than 500 Million Dollars, a number that should be much higher for the serious and heinous illegalities that they have committed. This should be a Criminal, not Civil, event, and Harvard will have to live with the consequences of their wrongdoings\u00a0\u00bb, Trump wrote on Truth Social.
\u00ab\u00a0In any event, this case will continue until justice is served\u00a0\u00bb, Trump continued. \u00ab\u00a0We are now seeking One Billion Dollars in damages, and want nothing further to do, into the future, with Harvard University.\u00a0\u00bb
Trump did not specify what specific damages Harvard caused, but suggested he agrees with at least one part of the Gray Lady report.
\u00ab\u00a0As The Failing New York Times clearly stated, \u2018Some connected to the University, however, think Harvard has no option but to eventually cut a deal. The Administration has repeatedly attempted to cut off research grants, which would be an untenable crises. Like many major research universities, Harvard relies on federal funding for its financial model,\u2019\u00a0\u00bb Trump wrote.
Harvard University did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Times updated its report following Trump\u2019s reaction.
\u00ab\u00a0Trump administration officials have indicated in recent days that the president no longer expects such a payment, according to the Harvard and Trump officials briefed on the matter, speaking on the condition of anonymity to describe private conversations\u00a0\u00bb, the Times reported. \u00ab\u00a0But shortly before midnight, six hours after The Times reported that Mr. Trump had backtracked, he claimed the story was wrong and attacked The Times and Harvard.\u00a0\u00bb
In December, lawyers for the Trump administration appealed a judge\u2019s order to restore $2.7 billion in frozen federal research funding to Harvard University.
Harvard sued the Trump administration in April over its attempt to freeze the federal funding and argued in court that the actions amounted to an unconstitutional \u00ab\u00a0pressure campaign\u00a0\u00bb to influence and exert control over elite academic institutions.
The Trump administration accused Harvard of \u00ab\u00a0fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus\u00a0\u00bb, but Harvard Law professor Noah Feldman said in a radio interview that the move is \u00ab\u00a0about Trump trying to impose his view of the world on everybody else.\u00a0\u00bb
Lawyers for the Justice Department argued it had \u00ab\u00a0every right\u00a0\u00bb to cancel the funding for Harvard after it failed to comply with its demands.
A spokesperson for Harvard previously told Fox News Digital that the court’s September order reinstated \u00ab\u00a0critical research funding that advances science and life-saving medical breakthroughs, strengthens national security, and enhances our nation\u2019s competitiveness and economic priorities.\u00a0\u00bb
\u00ab\u00a0We remain confident in our legal position\u00a0\u00bb, the spokesperson added.<\/p>\n