Harvard University Sues Trump Administration

Harvard, the world’s wealthiest university, sued the Trump administration on Monday, fighting back against its threats to slash billions of dollars from the school’s research funding as part of a crusade against the nation’s top colleges.The lawsuit signaled a major escalation of the ongoing fight between higher education and President Trump, who has vowed to “reclaim” elite universities.The administration has cast its campaign as a fight against antisemitism, but has also targeted programs and teaching related to racial diversity and gender ideology.Earlier this month, it sent Harvard a list of demands that included auditing professors for plagiarism, reporting to the federal government any international students accused of misconduct, and appointing an outside overseer to insure that academic departments were “viewpoint diverse.”Alan M.

Garber, Harvard’s president, accused the government in a statement on Monday of trying to wield “unprecedented and improper control” of the university.Dr.

Garber said the consequences of the government’s actions would be “severe and long lasting.”The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Massachusetts, accuses the government of unleashing a broad attack as “leverage to gain control of academic decision-making at Harvard.” It also references other major universities that have faced abrupt funding cuts.The lawsuit names as defendants Robert F.Kennedy Jr., the health and human services secretary; Linda M.

McMahon, the education secretary; Stephen Ehikian, acting administrator of the General Services Administration; Attorney General Pamela J.Bondi; and several other administration officials.In the past week, the Trump administration has also threatened to eliminate visas for international students at Harvard after the university refused to accede to administration demands.This is a developing story.

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