Trump admin ‘doubling down’ after walking back Harvard ultimatum letter – report

April 11 letter sent by Trump administration to Harvard threatened to cut off billions in federal funds if sweeping reforms are not made amid antisemitism controversy.

By World Israel News Staff

The Trump administration has doubled down after initially walking back a letter sent to Harvard University earlier this month threatening to cut billions in federal funds to the Ivy League institution should the school fail to carry out sweeping reforms demanded by the White House, according to a report by The New York Times newspaper.

On April 11th, Sean Keveney, the acting general counsel for the Department of Health and Human Services and a member of the federal antisemitism taskforce, penned a letter to Harvard issuing an ultimatum to the school should it fail to reach a deal with the White House regarding reforms aimed at combating campus antisemitism, and sweeping changes to its hiring and admission policies, as well as the termination of all diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.

Harvard University President Alan Garber pushed back on the letter, writing an email to the Harvard community accusing the Trump administration of overreach.

“No government,” Garber wrote, “should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.”

According to the Times report, the letter and Garber’s response torpedoed talks between the administration and university administrators aimed at reaching an agreement.

White House strategist May Mailman told the Times that the Trump administration stands by the April 11 letter.

Following the dustup between the administration and Harvard officials, President Donald Trump castigated the university, calling it a “joke” which has “lost its way” and should “no longer receive” federal funding.

In addition, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem threatened to bar the school from bringing in foreign students by excluding Harvard from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) unless the university provides detailed records on “illegal and violent activities” by foreign students.

On Saturday, a spokesman for the university said that despite Friday’s report claiming that the administration had walked back the April 11 letter, the Trump administration is now doubling down on its position.

“Even assuming the administration now wishes to take back its litany of breathtakingly intrusive demands, it appears to have doubled down on those demands through its deeds in recent days,” the spokesperson said. “Actions speak louder than words.”

Citing multiple sources with knowledge of the matter, the Times reported Friday that the letter was unauthorized, and had not been intended to be sent to Harvard officials – at least not yet.

Three sources told the Times that the content of the letter was authentic, though some claimed it had been sent prematurely, while others claimed it had been drafted as an internal memo for the antisemitism taskforce, not as a letter to Harvard.

Shortly after the letter was sent, a second administration official reportedly called Harvard to downplay the letter, the report claimed, explaining that it was “unauthorized.”

Two sources identified the second official as Josh Gruenbaum of the General Services Administration and another member of the antisemitism taskforce.