The Trump administration has filed a new lawsuit against Harvard University alleging systematic discrimination against Jewish students in another chapter in Trump’s assault on the Ivy League school.
The 44-page long lawsuit accuses Harvard of violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act 1964, remaining “deliberately indifferent” to harassment of Jewish and Israeli students. It also claims the university intentionally refused to enforce campus rules when victims are Jews or Israelis.
The complaint alleges these students were denied access to educational facilities by antisemitic demonstrators following the 2023 Hamas attack.
Attorney General, Pamela Bondi, released a statement on X on Friday saying: “Today, we sued Harvard University for enabling and even encouraging antisemitism on its campus. Any school that receives federal funds risks losing those funds if they permit blatant discrimination.”
The federal government demands Harvard return millions in grant payments and halt more than $2.6 billion in existing grants whilst also seeking appointment of a U.S.-approved independent outside monitor to oversee Harvard’s compliance.
Harvard has rejected the allegations in a statement of their own characterizing the lawsuit as “yet another pretextual and retaliatory action by the administration for refusing to turn over control of Harvard to the federal government”.
“Harvard cares deeply about members of our Jewish and Israeli community and remains committed to ensuring they are embraced, respected, and can thrive on our campus,” a Harvard spokesperson said.
“Our actions illustrate this. Harvard has taken substantive, proactive steps to address the root causes of antisemitism and actively enforces anti-harassment and anti-discrimination rules and policies on campus.
“We also have enhanced training and education on antisemitism for students, faculty, and staff and launched programs to promote civil dialogue and respectful disagreement inside and outside the classroom. Harvard’s efforts demonstrate the very opposite of deliberate indifference.”
Some of the country’s most prestigious schools, including Harvard, have been in tense battles with the President since he returned to the White House following his attempts to overhaul U.S. higher education and “reclaim our colleges from the communist left”.
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