Trump Weaponizes University Funding
🔴 Abuse of Power ·
Mar–Oct 2025
Summary
The Trump administration froze and cut federal funding from major universities as leverage to demand changes to academic governance, DEI programs, protest rules, and Middle East studies curriculum. Columbia ($400M cut, later settled for $200M after agreeing to administration demands), Harvard ($2.2B frozen after refusing to comply with demands including eliminating DEI, allowing ‘viewpoint diversity audits,’ and restricting student clubs), Cornell ($1B+ frozen), Northwestern ($790M frozen), and others were targeted. Harvard filed a federal lawsuit arguing the demands ‘contravene the First Amendment and exceed lawful authority.’ A federal judge found the Harvard funding freeze unconstitutional. Multiple legal experts called the conditions an unprecedented use of federal funding as a tool of ideological coercion.
Key Figures
Institutions Involved
Sources
- Trump administration freezes more than $2.2 billion after Harvard rejects its demands
- Harvard University sues to block Trump from slashing billions in research funding
- Trump administration cancels $400M in grants and contracts with Columbia University