Highlights:
- President Trump proposes redirecting $3 billion in frozen federal research grants from Harvard University to trade schools.
- The grants were mostly earmarked for biomedical research via agencies like NIH.
- Harvard has sued the administration, citing violations of constitutional rights and academic freedom.
- A federal judge temporarily blocked Trump’s attempt to stop Harvard from enrolling international students.
- Critics question the feasibility and legality of reallocating scientific research funds to trade schools.
President Donald Trump has proposed reallocating $3 billion in frozen federal research grants from Harvard University to vocational institutions, intensifying an already heated battle between the White House and the Ivy League school.
The proposal, posted Monday on Trump’s social media platform Truth Social, suggests that the funds—originally designated for biomedical research—could instead be used to support trade schools nationwide. “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,” Trump wrote.
Legal Tensions and Academic Freedom
The funding in question, much of which was disbursed through the National Institutes of Health (NIH), was suspended in early May by various federal agencies including the Department of Energy and the Department of Defense. According to official notices, the suspensions were due to the grants no longer aligning with “agency priorities.”
Harvard has filed lawsuits against the administration, arguing that the grant revocations are unconstitutional and retaliatory. The university claims the actions threaten its academic independence and violate free speech rights.
In a separate case, Harvard is challenging the administration’s attempt to block the enrollment of international students—an effort halted temporarily last Friday by a federal judge. The court’s injunction protects roughly 6,800 international students currently enrolled, about 27% of Harvard’s student body.
Trade Schools Applaud, Experts Skeptical
The idea of transferring research funds to vocational education drew praise from some trade school advocates. Jason Altmire, head of a trade school association, welcomed the gesture but emphasized that deregulation would be a more effective form of support.
Critics, however, note that the NIH grants target advanced medical research, including ongoing studies on tuberculosis and multiple sclerosis—efforts that trade schools are typically unequipped to undertake. The administration has not outlined how such a reallocation would occur legally or practically.
Find Out: Trade Schools That Don’t Require a GED or High School Diploma
A Broader Political Battle
Trump’s actions appear to be part of a larger campaign targeting elite academic institutions, which he accuses of promoting liberal ideologies and antisemitism.
In recent weeks, he has floated ideas like revoking Harvard’s tax-exempt status and creating a new, ideology-free “American Academy” to provide free online education. However, concrete plans for such initiatives remain absent.
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