Trump threatens to redistribute $3 billion in Harvard grants to trade schools

The US president continues to apply pressure on Harvard as part of a broadside against what he calls ‘woke’ ideology and anti-Semitism on college campuses.

President Donald Trump continues to apply pressure on Harvard as part of a broadside against what he calls “woke” ideology. Picture: AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

President Trump on Monday said he was considering taking billions in grant money away from Harvard University and redistributing it to trade schools across the US, the latest salvo in his administration’s campaign against the Ivy League institution.

“I am considering taking Three Billion Dollars of Grant Money away from a very antisemitic Harvard, and giving it to TRADE SCHOOLS all across our land,” he posted on his Truth Social platform early on Memorial Day. “What a great investment that would be for the USA, and so badly needed!!!” The announcement, which provided no further specifics, comes as Trump continues to apply pressure on Harvard as part of a broadside against what he calls “woke” ideology and antisemitism on college campuses. Last week, the Department of Homeland Security said it was cutting off Harvard’s ability to enrol international students before a federal judge temporarily halted the move.

Trump’s plan would likely face further legal scrutiny, especially if Congress appropriated the grant money in question for specific purposes.

Harvard has been locked in a battle with the Trump administration since March, when the government said it was reviewing nearly $9 billion in federal funding over antisemitism concerns. Harvard filed a federal lawsuit against the government, arguing the Trump administration has violated the university’s constitutional rights as well as due process.

Supportersof Palestine gather at Harvard University on October 14, 2023. Picture: Joseph Prezioso / AFP

The lawsuit noted the longstanding partnership between federal funding and university research, highlighting its historical success in improving American lives and fostering breakthroughs like drugs to treat Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

Neither Harvard nor the White House immediately responded to requests for comment Monday.

Trump’s proposed redistribution of funds to trade schools — rather than simply threatening terminating the grants — could make a consequential funding fight more politically palatable. Both Trump and his 2024 Democratic opponent, Kamala Harris, proposed alternatives to a four-year college degree during last year’s presidential election. The price tag for college has ballooned even before Trump took office, including at public institutions.

Republicans have embarked on a broader push to reshape higher education. The massive tax and spending bill the GOP-controlled House narrowly passed last week contains large changes to the federal student-loan program. The legislation also would tighten Pell Grant eligibility for part-time students and expand it for students in short-term workforce programs.

Last month, Trump signed an executive order that he said would “modernise American workforce programs to prepare citizens for the high-paying skilled trade jobs of the future.”

The Wall Street Journal