Judge Blocks Trump’s $2B Harvard Funding Cuts Amid Bias Row

• Sep 04, 2025

A US federal judge has overturned a Trump administration decision that froze more than $2 billion in funding to Harvard University over allegations of antisemitism and bias. The ruling, issued Wednesday in Boston, restores the university’s access to critical research funds and restricts the government from using similar reasoning to cut funding in the future.

The Trump administration had argued that Harvard failed to protect Jewish and Israeli students during campus protests against Israel’s war in Gaza. Officials claimed their action was justified and immediately vowed to appeal. Harvard rejected the accusations, saying the cuts were politically motivated and aimed at giving Trump control over its hiring, admissions, and curriculum.

The freeze forced Harvard to halt new hires and pause several major research programs, particularly in public health and medicine. Experts warned these disruptions put lives at risk by delaying potentially life-saving discoveries.

Judge Allison Burroughs, appointed by former President Barack Obama, wrote that while Harvard had acknowledged shortcomings in addressing antisemitism on campus, the funding cuts were unrelated to the issue. She described the administration’s action as an ideologically driven attempt to undermine elite universities under the guise of combating antisemitism.

“The Court vacates and sets aside the Freeze Orders and Termination Letters as violative of the First Amendment,” Burroughs wrote.

Despite Harvard’s decisive legal victory, analysts say the university may still pursue a settlement with the White House. Albany Law School Professor Ray Brescia noted that Columbia University reached such a deal earlier, and Harvard could follow suit, possibly involving a payout of around $500 million. He emphasized that institutions often settle cases even when they are confident of their legal standing.

Harvard President Alan Garber welcomed the ruling as a validation of academic freedom but said the school would continue reviewing its implications.

The administration, meanwhile, denounced the decision as judicial activism. White House spokeswoman Liz Huston accused the judge of bias, arguing that Harvard “does not have a constitutional right to taxpayer dollars.”

The case highlights Trump’s broader campaign against Ivy League schools, which he and his allies accuse of liberal bias and fostering antisemitism. For now, the ruling ensures that Harvard regains its funding stream, though the battle between the university and the administration is far from over.