Trump Sues Harvard Over Alleged Antisemitism

The Trump administration filed a lawsuit against Harvard University on Friday, alleging the Ivy League institution failed to protect Jewish and Israeli students from harassment following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack. According to multiple reports, the Justice Department claims Harvard violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by showing deliberate indifference to antisemitism on campus.

The 44-page complaint, filed in Boston federal court, asserts that Harvard's actions created a hostile educational environment for these students. The administration is seeking to recover billions of dollars in federal funding that Harvard has received from various agencies, including more than $2.6 billion from the Department of Health and Human Services alone.

This lawsuit marks another escalation in the Trump administration's campaign against Harvard, which began after the president returned to office. The administration has previously attempted to cancel billions in federal funding and push for changes at major universities over alleged antisemitic ideologies. In September 2023, a federal judge ruled that the government had unlawfully terminated more than $2 billion in research grants to Harvard.

The complaint alleges that Harvard knew about harassment incidents but failed to enforce campus rules when Jewish or Israeli students were victims. The university has previously announced steps to address antisemitism on campus, including updating disciplinary processes and expanding training programs.

According to Fox News, the administration opened an investigation into Harvard's compliance with Title VI last April and determined in June that the school had violated this law. A White House spokesperson told Fox News, 'Harvard University has failed to protect its Jewish students from harassment and has allowed discrimination to wreak havoc on its campus.' The lawsuit alleges that Harvard has tolerated antisemitic mobs comprised of students, faculty members, and visitors opposed to Israel.

The Justice Department also asked the court to require that Harvard call police to arrest protesters blocking parts of campus and to appoint an “independent outside monitor,” approved by the government, to ensure it complies with court orders. The lawsuit comes after negotiations between the administration and Harvard appear to have bogged down in a months-long battle.

In response, a Harvard spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the university 'cares deeply' about its Jewish and Israeli students and remains committed to making sure they are embraced and respected. The school said it will continue to prioritize such work and defend itself, calling the lawsuit 'yet another pretextual and retaliatory action by the administration for refusing to turn over control of Harvard to the federal government.'

As reported by The Guardian, Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed the filing on X, stating that any school receiving federal funds risks losing those funds if they permit blatant discrimination. The lawsuit alleges that Harvard turned a blind eye to antisemitism and discrimination against Jews and Israelis by strictly enforcing policies against other forms of bias but allowing anti-Israel protests to proceed virtually unchecked.

The Trump administration began investigating allegations of discrimination against Harvard’s Jewish and Israeli students less than two weeks after the president took office. The allegations focus on Harvard’s actions during and after pro-Palestinian demonstrations during the Israel-Hamas war. Officials concluded Harvard did not adequately address concerns raised about antisemitism that drove some students to conceal their religious skullcaps and avoid classes.

During protests of the war, Trump officials said, Harvard permitted students to demonstrate against Israel’s actions in the school library and allowed a pro-Palestinian encampment to remain on campus for 20 days, “in violation of university policy.” The lawsuit also accused Harvard of failing to discipline staff or students who protested or tacitly endorsed the demonstrations.