US President Donald Trump has said his administration is seeking $1 billion in damages from Harvard University, escalating a dispute between the government and the Ivy League institution.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Monday, Trump said his administration wanted “nothing further to do” with Harvard, following a New York Times report that the university had secured concessions during settlement negotiations with the government.
Trump officials have accused Harvard and other universities of promoting what they describe as “woke” ideology and failing to adequately protect Jewish students during pro-Palestinian protests. The administration has pursued legal complaints and demanded substantial financial settlements from several institutions.
Last summer, Columbia University agreed to pay $200 million to the federal government and committed to policy changes, including restrictions on the consideration of race in admissions and hiring.
The New York Times reported that the Trump administration had dropped an earlier demand for a $200 million settlement from Harvard after prolonged talks. Trump, however, disputed the narrative, claiming negotiations had previously stalled over what he described as an inadequate proposal involving job training initiatives.
“It was merely a way of Harvard getting out of a large cash settlement of more than $500 million,” Trump said, alleging serious wrongdoing by the university, without specifying any laws violated.
Meanwhile, the University of Pennsylvania also moved to address administration concerns last year, announcing a ban on transgender women competing in women’s sports.
The dispute highlights growing tensions between the Trump administration and elite US universities over governance, ideology and campus policies.
