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Sunday, Jun 01, 2025
Outside the box.
Trump Administration Orders Federal Agencies to Sever Contracts with Harvard University
Directive to terminate approximately $100 million in federal contracts reflects escalating tensions between the federal government and Harvard regarding admissions practices and campus policies.
The Trump administration is moving forward with a directive to federal agencies to cancel all government contracts with Harvard University, estimated to be worth around $100 million.
This action marks a significant escalation in the administration’s ongoing conflict with the prestigious Ivy League institution.
A planned directive set to be distributed to federal agencies specifies instructions to terminate existing agreements and explore alternative vendors.
This order, issued by the General Services Administration (GSA), will impact contracts across nine federal departments, which include areas such as health research and executive training programs.
Agencies have been given a deadline to report back by early June on the agreements they will be discontinuing.
The GSA letter, signed by federal procurement chief Josh Gruenbaum, articulates claims that Harvard has engaged in race discrimination in its admissions process and has displayed insufficient concern for the safety and well-being of Jewish students.
This decisive action represents the most impactful measure taken by the Trump administration to dismantle Harvard’s federal relationships.
Since April, there have already been actions taken to freeze $3.2 billion in research grants to the university, and efforts to restrict the enrollment of foreign students have been attempted, though this latter initiative has faced temporary legal challenges.
Harvard's leadership, including President Alan Garber, has publicly criticized these federal moves, labeling them as illegal attempts to influence the university's hiring and teaching practices.
The university has initiated multiple federal lawsuits against the administration, arguing that these directives infringe on constitutional rights to academic freedom.
The administration also asserts that Harvard is not in compliance with a 2023 Supreme Court ruling that prohibits the consideration of race in admissions, despite the university reporting a decline in Black enrollment from 18% to 14% among first-year students.
The letter from the GSA encourages agencies to pursue alternative vendors for future services previously contracted to Harvard.
The administration's hostility towards Harvard can be traced back to pro-Palestinian demonstrations that occurred on campus last year and has since evolved into a broader ideological confrontation with elite educational institutions.
President Trump has characterized top universities as environments harboring 'Marxist maniacs and lunatics' and has suggested redirecting federal funding from these institutions towards trade schools.
Congressional support for this initiative includes proposed new taxes on large university endowments, which could impose an annual cost of approximately $850 million on Harvard, although this measure still requires Senate approval.
Harvard, with a significant population of international students—6,800 individuals making up over a quarter of its enrollment—may face profound challenges if the administration succeeds in obstructing foreign student admissions, especially as other universities, such as those in Hong Kong, begin recruiting displaced students from Harvard.
A federal hearing is scheduled for Thursday to assess whether Harvard’s temporary right to enroll international students will be extended.
The university continues to challenge various administrative demands in court, including those aimed at dismantling diversity initiatives, collaborating with immigration authorities, and implementing restrictions on mask-wearing in response to protests.
This action marks a significant escalation in the administration’s ongoing conflict with the prestigious Ivy League institution.
A planned directive set to be distributed to federal agencies specifies instructions to terminate existing agreements and explore alternative vendors.
This order, issued by the General Services Administration (GSA), will impact contracts across nine federal departments, which include areas such as health research and executive training programs.
Agencies have been given a deadline to report back by early June on the agreements they will be discontinuing.
The GSA letter, signed by federal procurement chief Josh Gruenbaum, articulates claims that Harvard has engaged in race discrimination in its admissions process and has displayed insufficient concern for the safety and well-being of Jewish students.
This decisive action represents the most impactful measure taken by the Trump administration to dismantle Harvard’s federal relationships.
Since April, there have already been actions taken to freeze $3.2 billion in research grants to the university, and efforts to restrict the enrollment of foreign students have been attempted, though this latter initiative has faced temporary legal challenges.
Harvard's leadership, including President Alan Garber, has publicly criticized these federal moves, labeling them as illegal attempts to influence the university's hiring and teaching practices.
The university has initiated multiple federal lawsuits against the administration, arguing that these directives infringe on constitutional rights to academic freedom.
The administration also asserts that Harvard is not in compliance with a 2023 Supreme Court ruling that prohibits the consideration of race in admissions, despite the university reporting a decline in Black enrollment from 18% to 14% among first-year students.
The letter from the GSA encourages agencies to pursue alternative vendors for future services previously contracted to Harvard.
The administration's hostility towards Harvard can be traced back to pro-Palestinian demonstrations that occurred on campus last year and has since evolved into a broader ideological confrontation with elite educational institutions.
President Trump has characterized top universities as environments harboring 'Marxist maniacs and lunatics' and has suggested redirecting federal funding from these institutions towards trade schools.
Congressional support for this initiative includes proposed new taxes on large university endowments, which could impose an annual cost of approximately $850 million on Harvard, although this measure still requires Senate approval.
Harvard, with a significant population of international students—6,800 individuals making up over a quarter of its enrollment—may face profound challenges if the administration succeeds in obstructing foreign student admissions, especially as other universities, such as those in Hong Kong, begin recruiting displaced students from Harvard.
A federal hearing is scheduled for Thursday to assess whether Harvard’s temporary right to enroll international students will be extended.
The university continues to challenge various administrative demands in court, including those aimed at dismantling diversity initiatives, collaborating with immigration authorities, and implementing restrictions on mask-wearing in response to protests.
