Harvard may agree to $500m settlement with Trump admin

The university is reportedly “skeptical” about a third-party supervisor of the agreement, like the one to which Columbia agreed, due to concerns about academic freedom.

By JNS

Days after Columbia University agreed to a $221 million settlement with the Trump administration over Jew-hatred on campus, Harvard University is reportedly weighing an agreement more than twice as rich: $500 million, according to news reports.

Two sources told the New York Post about the figure, and The New York Times reported that Harvard has “signaled a willingness” to pay half a billion dollars, although it’s “reluctant to directly pay the federal government.”

(JNS sought comment from Harvard.)

The university is reportedly “skeptical” about a third-party supervisor of the agreement, like the one to which Columbia agreed, due to concerns about academic freedom.

Harrison Fields, a White House spokesman, told the Times that the administration’s message is to not “allow antisemitism and diversity, equity and inclusion to run your campus, don’t break the law and protect the civil liberties of all students.”

He added that the administration believes that “Harvard will eventually come around and support the president’s vision.”

The administration froze more than $2.2 billion in funding to Harvard in April over what the Trump administration said was inadequate responses to Jew-hatred on campus.