Trump says deal near to restore Harvard funding
President Trump said the administration is close to finalizing a deal with Harvard University to restore roughly $2.4 billion in federal research grants after earlier freezing about $2.2 billion; Trump said Harvard would commit about $500 million toward workforce and trade‑school programs (including AI training) as part of the arrangement. The announcement—reported from the Oval Office with Education Secretary Linda McMahon—follows a court challenge in which a judge blocked the administration’s freeze and accused it of using antisemitism concerns politically.
Politics
Education
Government/Regulatory
🔍 Key Facts
- President Donald Trump said the administration is 'very close' to a deal to restore $2.4 billion in federal grants to Harvard.
- Trump said Harvard would be 'paying about $500 million' to operate workforce programs/trade schools (AI and other technical training) under terms being finalized.
- Earlier this year the administration froze about $2.2 billion in Harvard funding and a federal judge blocked that freeze, calling the move ideologically motivated.
📍 Contextual Background
- Debarment is a federal administrative process that can render an entity ineligible to receive federal grants.
- The Office for Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services referred Harvard University to a debarment process.
- The Office for Civil Rights is an office within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
- The Office for Civil Rights sent a letter addressing the referral to Harvard President Alan Garber.
- Harvard University is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and is the oldest university in the United States.