Trump threatens Harvard's $3bln funding, may redirect to trade schools

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
27 May 2025 08:52

US President Donald Trump considers pulling $3B in grants from Harvard, citing what he perceives as antisemitism, promising investment in trade schools instead.

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Spring buds appear on a tree near Eliot House, rear, at Harvard University, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on April 15, 2025. (AP)

US President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that he is considering revoking $3 billion in federal grants from Harvard University, accusing the institution of antisemitism and suggesting that the funds would be better spent on trade schools across the country.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: "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," adding, "What a great investment that would be for the USA, and so badly needed!!!"

According to Axios, the post did not include further specifics about how or when such a policy would be implemented, and Harvard has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the statement.

The threat comes just days after a federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s efforts to ban foreign students from attending universities like Harvard, which had moved to remote instruction amid the COVID-19 pandemic. That proposed policy was widely criticized as punitive and ideologically driven.

Trump has frequently clashed with Ivy League institutions, accusing them of promoting liberal ideologies and discriminating against conservative viewpoints. His latest comments appear to escalate that campaign, targeting one of the most prestigious universities in the United States with a financial ultimatum.

Trade schools as an alternative investment

By proposing to redirect funds to trade and vocational schools, Trump sought to contrast what he called a wasteful grant model with what he claimed would be a more practical investment in the US workforce.

Though no formal proposal has been introduced, Trump’s remarks align with a populist rhetoric that frames elite academic institutions as detached from working-class priorities.

“No government—regardless of which party is in power—should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.” - President Alan Garber https://t.co/6cQQpcJVTd
— Harvard University (@Harvard) April 14, 2025

While the $3 billion figure was not substantiated with official documentation, the threat shows Trump’s continued use of fiscal leverage to push political narratives, particularly against institutions he deems hostile to his platform.

Moreover, as of Sunday evening, Harvard hadn't responded publicly to the funding threat.

The university had previously taken legal action against the Trump administration over its visa policy targeting foreign students, resulting in a temporary legal win.

The accusation of antisemitism against Harvard is also likely to spark further scrutiny and debate, though no context was provided in Trump’s post to support the claim.