Citing antisemitic harassment, US cuts another $60 million in grants to Harvard

The US Department of Health and Human Services announced it is cutting $60 million in grants to Harvard University, citing the school’s failure to curb antisemitic harassment and discrimination.

By World Israel News Staff

The Trump administration is slashing an additional $60 million in funding for Harvard University, citing the Ivy League school’s failure to curb antisemitic harassment on campus, as well as ethnic discrimination.

On Monday, the Department of Health and Human Services, under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., issued a statement announcing “decisive action” against bigotry at Harvard, including the termination of $60 million in grants to the college.

“HHS is taking decisive action to uphold civil rights in higher education. Due to Harvard University’s continued failure to address antisemitic harassment and race discrimination, HHS is terminating multiple multi-year grant awards — totaling approximately $60 million over their full duration.”

“In the Trump Administration, discrimination will not be tolerated on campus. Federal funds must support institutions that protect all students.”

According to a report by The Daily Caller, a Washington-based website, the cuts were made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an agency that operates within the HHS.

The CDC informed Harvard University of the termination of grant funding in a letter on Monday, penned by the agency’s chief grants management official, Jamie Legier.

“Grant dollars should only support institutions that comply with principles and laws of nondiscrimination,” Legier wrote.

Legier accused Harvard of failing to “foster safe, equal, and healthy working and learning conditions conducive to high-quality research and free inquiry.”

The letter comes just days after the US slashed $450 million in grants to Harvard which had been provided by the Education Department, the HHS, and the General Services Administration.

The combined $510 million cuts in federal funding for Harvard announced this month are in addition to some $2.2 billion in federal funding which was suspended last month.

Harvard has sued the Trump administration in a bid to prevent the funding suspension from being put into effect, claiming, among other things, that the loss of federal funds violates the university’s right to free speech.

Amid the wave of federal funding cuts, Harvard President Alan Garber has reportedly refused to testify at a planned Senate hearing on college antisemitism.

According to a report by the Jewish News Syndicate website, Garber received an invitation from Committee chairman Bill Cassidy (R-LA) to respond to questions posed by members of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

“I invited Harvard to testify. It is my firm belief that every person and institution should have the right to make their case.”