Harvard sues Trump over $2.2 billion funding freeze as free speech battle heats up between White House and Ivy League college | EUROtoday

Harvard University is suing the Trump administration for violating its free speech rights by freezing federal funding to punish it for its refusal to take motion in opposition to college students for his or her beliefs.

U.S. officers mentioned final week they might withhold $2.2 billion in analysis grants and contracts after Harvard defied their calls for to crack down on pupil protests and display worldwide candidates for his or her opinions about Palestine.

The administration has claimed that Harvard is breaking U.S. civil rights legal guidelines by failure to fight antisemitism, commanding it to instantly finish all DEI applications whereas additionally, in impact, implementing affirmative motion for conservatives.

But Harvard’s attorneys on Monday requested the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts to dam the freeze and bar the federal authorities from additional makes an attempt to dictate Harvard’s actions in opposition to specific college students the administration doesn’t agree with..

“Defendants’ actions threaten Harvard’s academic independence and place at risk critical lifesaving and pathbreaking research that occurs on its campus, and they are part of a broader effort by the Government to punish Harvard for protecting its constitutional rights,” reads the college’s grievance.

“The government has not — and cannot — identify any rational connection between antisemitism concerns and the medical, scientific, technological and other research it has frozen that aims to save American lives, foster American success, preserve American security, and maintain America’s position as a global leader in innovation,” it added.

The lawsuit targets numerous federal appointees and agencies including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Education Secretary Linda McMahon, and their respective agencies.

It comes after furious Trump officials reportedly threatened to revoke an additional $1 billion in federal funding because the school had dared publish the administration’s latest list of demands.

Later reports suggested that the second letter was actually sent by “mistake,” triggering a “frantic” telephone name to Harvard from somebody contained in the administration.

The White House is now standing by the letter of calls for.