Key Points:
- President Trump announced his administration is close to finalizing a $500 million settlement with Harvard University after months of legal and political disputes.
- The deal reportedly includes Harvard operating trade schools and teaching artificial intelligence programs alongside the payment.
- The agreement, if confirmed, would mark one of the largest settlements between the government and a U.S. university.
Trump Announces Tentative Agreement
President Donald Trump said Tuesday his administration is finalizing a settlement with Harvard University that would see the Ivy League school pay $500 million, operate trade schools, and expand programs in artificial intelligence and technical education. Trump, speaking at the White House during an unrelated event, said Education Secretary Linda McMahon is “finishing up the final details.”
The announcement follows a prolonged clash between the administration and Harvard over federal funding, civil rights compliance, and campus protests. Trump claimed the deal would resolve lingering disputes, remarking, “Then their sins are forgiven.” However, Harvard has not confirmed the agreement and offered no immediate comment.
The administration has repeatedly threatened to cut billions in federal funding, accusing Harvard of failing to protect Jewish and Israeli students during pro-Palestinian protests, while also raising objections to the school’s diversity and governance policies. Earlier this month, a federal judge sided with Harvard, ruling that attempts to freeze $2.2 billion in research grants were unlawful.
Broader Battle with Universities
Harvard is not the first institution pressured into negotiations with the administration. Columbia University agreed to pay more than $200 million in July, while Brown University settled for $50 million directed toward local workforce development in Rhode Island. Non-Ivy institutions, such as UCLA, are also facing scrutiny over research funding.
The administration’s actions have sparked debates about free speech and academic freedom. Rights advocates argue that probes into campus protests disproportionately target pro-Palestinian voices while overlooking concerns such as Islamophobia. Trump, however, has defended the measures, saying universities and colleges must respect federal law and maintain campus order.
The scale of Harvard’s potential $500 million payment would eclipse settlements by other schools, signaling the administration’s determination to make an example of the nation’s oldest university. Still, uncertainty remains over whether Harvard will formally agree to the proposed terms. Until then, the future of its federal funding—and the outcome of its legal challenges—remains unresolved.