Trump's decisions on Harvard University funding have been reversed by a US judge.
In a significant ruling, a US judge has vacated and set aside President Donald Trump's funding cuts to Harvard University, deeming them a "smokescreen" for a university "assault."
The court case involving Harvard's funding cuts remains ongoing, with Trump attempting to move it to the Court of Federal Claims. However, the judge's ruling, made in the federal court in Boston, has brought a temporary reprieve for the Ivy League institution.
The judge's ruling did not find a significant connection between the research affected by the grant terminations and anti-Semitism, a charge the administration had levied against Harvard. The judge appointed by Democratic former president Barack Obama described Trump's measures against Harvard as a "targeted, ideologically motivated assault" on premier universities.
Harvard has been a key target in Trump's campaign against elite universities due to its resistance to his demands for oversight of its curriculum, staffing, student recruitment, and "viewpoint diversity." The cuts to Harvard's funding forced the university to freeze hiring and pause major research programs, particularly in public health and medical fields. Delays in these research programs, according to experts, risked American lives.
The administration argued that its move was legally justified due to Harvard's alleged failure to protect Jewish and Israeli students. However, the judge's ruling states that the funding cuts were more about politics than protecting students.
The court case was combined with cases brought by Harvard and the American Association of University Professors against the Trump administration's measures. Harvard had sued to restore more than $2 billion in frozen funds. The court vacated and set aside the Freeze Orders and Termination Letters as violative of the First Amendment.
Trump and his allies accuse Harvard, among other top universities, of being unaccountable bastions of liberal, anti-conservative bias and anti-Semitism, particularly around protests against Israel's war in Gaza. The government has gone after Harvard's ability to host international students, a vital source of income, who made up 27 percent of total enrollment in the 2024-2025 academic year.
Despite the judge's ruling, Harvard still faces challenges due to Trump's administration's measures. The university has faced criticism for its own admissions of anti-Semitism on campus, but the judge noted that the administration's cuts had little relevance to the problem.
As the court case continues, Harvard and other universities affected by Trump's measures will be closely watching the developments. The ruling is a significant win for academic freedom and the autonomy of universities in the United States.
