The Trump administration unveiled new steps to target federal funding to Harvard University, announcing Monday that it is cutting off all new federal research grants. The move marked the administration?s latest effort to demand political policy changes from the elite university amid a major clash over academic freedom, federal funding and campus oversight.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon sent a letter to Harvard President Alan Garber Monday evening conveying that the university is not eligible for grants from the federal government due to its ?consistent violations of its own legal duties.?

The letter cites ongoing issues between the university and the administration, such as affirmative action and protesting on campus, as well as criticizing the temporary removal of standardized testing like the SAT or ACT, which was reinstated in April 2024, and overall management of the university.

?In every way, Harvard has failed to abide by its legal obligations, its ethical and fiduciary duties, its transparency responsibilities, and any semblance of academic rigor,? McMahon?s letter says, adding the university ?has made a mockery of this country?s higher education system.?

Harvard denounced the administration?s announcement. The demands ?would impose unprecedented and improper control? on the university and ?would have chilling implications for higher education,? a Harvard spokesperson said in a statement.

?Harvard will continue to comply with the law, promote and encourage respect for viewpoint diversity, and combat antisemitism in our community,? the statement said. ?Harvard will also continue to defend against illegal government overreach aimed at stifling research and innovation that make Americans safer and more secure.?

The letter from the Trump administration said if Harvard doesn?t work to remedy the issues they listed, that any public funding related to the university will stop.

?Harvard will cease to be a publicly funded institution, and can instead operate as a privately-funded institution, drawing on its colossal endowment, and raising money from its large base of wealthy alumni,? the letter continues. ?You have an approximately $53 Billion head start, much of which was made possible by the fact that you are living within the walls of, and benefiting from, the prosperity secured by the United States of America and its free-market system you teach your students to despise.?

The move will specifically target research grant funding and will not impact federal Pell Grants or student loan funding at this time, a senior administration official said, and is estimated to impact ?over $1 billion a year.? The Trump administration has already frozen $2.2 billion in multi-year federal funding.

The Trump administration is willing to negotiate with Harvard to restore the funding, the official said, once it ?(enters) into a negotiation with the government to satisfy the government that it?s in compliance with all federal laws.?

Pressed by CNN on what specific benchmarks the administration is looking for, the official indicated there could be a way to fast-track a resolution as Harvard remains under a number of federal government investigations.

?Those investigations would need to lead to resolution agreements that bring Harvard back into compliance with federal law. They could also open up a broader negotiation if they were interested in accelerating that,? the official said.

The Trump administration has promised to revoke the university?s tax-exempt status and threatened its ability to host international students if it doesn?t submit to a long list of demands, including eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion programs, banning masks at campus protests, enacting merit-based hiring and admissions changes, and turning over foreign students? discipline records.

Pressure on other universities

The nation?s oldest and wealthiest university, Harvard has sued for the release of federal research funding.

Harvard ?will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights,? its president has said. ?Neither Harvard nor any other private university can allow itself to be taken over by the federal government.?

Harvard is not the only institution of higher learning facing intense pressure from the White House. Princeton, Cornell and Northwestern all have had funds frozen or suspended, and the Department of Education has advised 60 colleges and universities they are under investigation for ?anti-Semitic harassment and discrimination.?

The Trump administration has proposed a consent decree for Columbia University that would install federal oversight and give a judge responsibility for enforcing changes to the university?s practices, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday, citing people familiar with the matter.

A Columbia spokesperson disputed the Wall Street Journal report and pointed to a statement from its acting university president in mid-April.

?Where the government ? or any stakeholder ? has legitimate interest in critical issues for our healthy functioning, we will listen and respond,? the statement said. ?But we would reject heavy-handed orchestration from the government that could potentially damage our institution and undermine useful reforms that serve the best interests of our students and community. We would reject any agreement in which the government dictates what we teach, research, or who we hire.?

CNN reached out to the White House for comment. (CNN)

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