Trump administration seeks records from Harvard on foreign funding and ties

By Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Donald Trump's medication said connected Friday it sought Harvard University's records connected overseas backing going backmost a decennary and connected immoderate overseas ties, successful the government's latest escalation against the acquisition institution.

The Trump medication has launched a wide condemned crackdown against apical U.S. universities, including Harvard, implicit pro-Palestinian field protests and a scope of different civilization warfare issues similar transgender rights and diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

Trump has threatened to withhold national backing to those institutions implicit the issues. Rights advocates person condemned what they telephone an battle connected escaped code and world freedom.

U.S. instrumentality requires universities to study donations from overseas sources exceeding $250,000 successful a year.

In a missive to Harvard President Alan Garber, the U.S. Department of Education said Harvard made "incomplete and inaccurate" disclosures betwixt 2014 and 2019.

"Today's records petition is the Trump administration's archetypal measurement to guarantee Harvard is not being manipulated by, oregon doing the bidding of, overseas entities," Education Secretary Linda McMahon said successful a statement. The missive cited nary grounds to amusement that was happening.

Harvard said it has filed specified reports for decades "as portion of its ongoing compliance with the law."

"As is required, Harvard's reports see accusation connected gifts and contracts from overseas sources exceeding $250K annually. This includes contracts to supply enforcement education, different training, and world publications," the assemblage said.

Among accusation besides sought by the missive wrong 30 days were records relating to expelled overseas students going backmost astir a decade, probe conducted by those who were expelled and a database of visiting researchers, students and module astatine Harvard who are affiliated with overseas governments.

RECENT TRUMP ACTIONS

In caller weeks and days, the Trump medication began a reappraisal of $9 cardinal successful national contracts and grants to Harvard; called for restrictions including a disguise prohibition and DEI removal; threatened to portion Harvard of its tax-exempt status; and demanded accusation connected immoderate visa holders astatine Harvard with a menace to instrumentality distant its quality to enroll overseas students.

Harvard connected Monday rejected galore demands that it said would cede power to the government. The Trump medication subsequently said it was freezing $2.3 cardinal successful funding.

Trump has peculiarly threatened universities implicit field protests against U.S. state Israel's devastating subject battle connected Gaza aft a deadly October 2023 onslaught by Palestinian Hamas militants.

Trump casts the protesters arsenic overseas argumentation threats who are antisemitic and sympathetic to Hamas. Protesters, including immoderate Jewish groups, accidental the Trump medication wrongly conflates their advocacy for Palestinian rights and disapproval of Israel's actions successful Gaza with enactment for extremism and antisemitism.

The Trump medication is besides attempting to deport immoderate overseas protesters and has revoked hundreds of visas crossed the country.

The Trump medication has frozen oregon canceled immoderate backing for universities similar Columbia, Princeton, Brown, University of Pennsylvania, Cornell and Northwestern arsenic well.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh successful Washington, Editing by Franklin Paul)