Harvard University, alongside Yale and MIT, filed a federal lawsuit in Massachusetts on April 20, 2025, challenging President Donald Trump’s $150 million cut to research grants, targeting universities opposing his education policies.
Announced in March, the cuts slash Harvard’s $600 million annual federal funding, affecting cancer, AI, and quantum research, and hit Yale ($100 million) and MIT ($50 million). Trump’s executive order ties funding to “patriotic curricula,” banning DEI programs and critical race theory, sparking accusations of academic censorship.
Harvard’s lawsuit argues the cuts violate First Amendment rights and the 1965 Higher Education Act, risking 2,000 research jobs. The administration defends the move, citing “woke indoctrination,” with Education Secretary Betsy DeVos praising fiscal discipline.
Critics, including the American Association of Universities, warn of a brain drain, noting China’s $400 billion research budget. Supporters argue universities’ $50 billion endowments cushion the blow. The case, set for a June hearing, could reshape US academia.