Harvard University President Alan Garber announced Monday that the prestigious academic institution has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration after it froze grants valued at more than $3 million (€2.6 million) over its failure to curb student protests against the war in the Gaza Strip.
“Moments ago, we filed a lawsuit to halt the funding freeze because it is unlawful and exceeds the government’s authority,” he said in a statement, arguing that “the consequences of the government’s overreach will be severe and long-lasting” and lamenting that the administration has “justified its unlawful action” with the university’s response to antisemitism.
That’s why he emphasized that “as a Jew and as an American,” he knows “very well that there are valid concerns about the rise of antisemitism, although Harvard takes that work very seriously” and “addressing it effectively requires understanding, intention, and vigilance.” We will continue to combat hate with the urgency it demands, fully complying with our legal obligations. This is not just our legal responsibility. “It is our moral imperative,” he stated.
Garber denounced that the White House has “taken several actions following Harvard’s refusal to comply with its unlawful demands,” including “unprecedented improper control” over the university, as well as freezing millions of dollars in grants and initiating “numerous investigations” into Harvard’s operations.
Thus, he considered that “these actions have grave consequences for patients, students, faculty, staff, researchers, and the reputation of American higher education worldwide,” since “the research the government has jeopardized includes” working groups on various diseases such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s.
“The victims will be future patients and their loved ones, who will suffer the anguish of diseases that could have been prevented or treated more effectively. “Indiscriminately cutting medical, scientific, and technological research undermines the country’s ability to save American lives, drive American success, and maintain America’s position as a global leader in innovation,” he said.
However, he defended the values of American higher education, stressing that he stands for “the truth that universities across the country can assume and fulfill their legal obligations and better fulfill their essential role in society without undue government intrusion.” “This is how we achieve academic excellence, protect open inquiry, and protect freedom of expression,” he concluded.
Garber’s announcement comes after the Trump administration demanded access from Harvard to university reports on antisemitism and anti-Muslim bias on campus generated since October 2023. It also requests the names of those involved in preparing the reports and asks them to make themselves available for questioning.
