U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Tuesday that his administration is finalizing a landmark agreement with Harvard University, requiring the Ivy League institution to pay $500 million and establish trade schools focused on AI and engineering. The announcement follows months of federal scrutiny over campus policies tied to pro-Palestinian protests, diversity initiatives, and transgender rights.
"We are in the process of getting very close," Trump told reporters, crediting Education Secretary Linda McMahon with finalizing details. The proposed deal would redirect funds toward vocational training programs, though specifics remain undisclosed.
Harvard, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has not publicly responded to Trump’s claims. The administration previously threatened to withhold federal funding from universities it accused of tolerating antisemitism during protests against Israel’s military actions in Gaza. A Harvard task force reported in April that both Jewish and Muslim students faced harassment following Hamas’ October 2023 attack.
Rights advocates argue the probes risk stifling free speech and academic freedom, while protesters contend criticism of Israel’s policies is unfairly conflated with antisemitism. The administration has not addressed parallel concerns about Islamophobia.
This development highlights growing tensions between U.S. educational institutions and federal oversight, with implications for academic autonomy and global perceptions of American higher education.
