Harvard Wins Legal Challenge to Trump Management Funding Cuts - DW – 04/09/2025
A U.S. federal judge on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, overturned the funding freeze imposed on Harvard University by the administration of Donald Trump. The ruling represents a significant victory for the university, which had become a focal point in the former president’s criticism of higher education institutions.
Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has accused Harvard of fostering a “woke” ideology – a term frequently used by conservatives to criticize diversity initiatives – and failing to adequately protect Jewish and Israeli students during campus protests concerning the conflict in Gaza.
In response, the Trump administration withdrew over $2.2 billion in federal subsidies from Harvard, including funds allocated to healthcare programs. It also revoked the university’s certification within the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), impacting its ability to host international students.Following Harvard’s appeal against these measures, Boston District Judge Allison Burroughs delivered the ruling. “the Court revokes and annuls” the administration’s decisions, deeming them a “violation of the First amendment” of the Constitution, the judge stated, referencing the orders issued effective April 14, 2025.
Judge Burroughs’ ruling acknowledged that Harvard has faced issues with antisemitism on campus, stating, “It is evident, even based solely on Harvard’s own admissions, that the university has been affected by antisemitism in recent years and could (and should) have approached the problem better.” Though, she concluded that the inquiry triggering the funding cuts had “little connection” to the issue of antisemitism.(GS – AFP, AP)
