Trump administration says Harvard will receive no new grants until it meets White House demands

WASHINGTON AP Harvard University will receive no new federal grants until it meets a series of demands from President Donald Trump s administration the Tuition Department disclosed Monday The action was laid out in a letter to Harvard s president and amounts to a major escalation of Trump s battle with the Ivy League school The administration previously froze billion in federal grants to Harvard and Trump is pushing to strip the school of its tax-exempt status Harvard has pushed back on the administration s demands setting up a closely watched clash in Trump s attempt to force change at universities that he says have become hotbeds of liberalism and antisemitism In a press call an Guidance Department official stated Harvard will receive no new federal grants until it demonstrates responsible management of the university and satisfies federal demands on a range of subjects It applies to federal research grants and not federal financial aid students receive to help cover tuition and fees The official spoke on condition of anonymity to preview the decision on a call with reporters The official accused Harvard of serious failures in four areas antisemitism racial discrimination abandonment of rigor and viewpoint diversity To become eligible for new grants Harvard would need to enter negotiations with the federal administration and prove it has satisfied the administration s demands The administration has demanded a series of changes to campus procedures including reforms to crack down on protesters and pursue more viewpoint diversity among faculty In a letter Monday to Harvard s president Development Secretary Linda McMahon accused the school of enrolling foreign students who proved contempt for the U S Harvard University has made a mockery of this country s higher instruction system McMahon wrote Harvard s president has previously declared he will not bend to cabinet s demands The university sued to halt its funding freeze last month Harvard s suit called the funding freeze arbitrary and capricious saying it violated its First Amendment rights and the statutory provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act The Trump administration commented previously that Harvard would need to meet a series of conditions to keep almost billion in grants and contracts The school in Cambridge Massachusetts has an endowment of billion the largest in the country Across the university federal money accounted for of revenue in not counting financial aid such as grants and scholar loans The Associated Press development coverage receives financial help from multiple private foundations AP is solely responsible for all content Find AP s standards for working with philanthropies a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP org Source