Harvard sues Trump administration over ‘unlawful’ $2.2 billion funding freeze

Harvard University has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over its “unlawful” multibillion-dollar budget cuts to the school’s research funding.

“Moments ago, we filed a lawsuit to halt the funding freeze because it is unlawful and beyond the government’s authority,” Harvard President Alan Garber wrote in a post on X.

The move comes just one day after the Trump administration reportedly planned to cut another $1 billion of federal grants and contracts to the university, in addition to the $2.2 billion cut that was announced last week, the Harvard Crimson first reported.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the $1 billion is related to the elite Massachusetts Ivy League school’s health research funding, according to sources familiar with the matter.

“The tradeoff put to Harvard and other universities is clear: Allow the Government to micromanage your academic institution or jeopardize the institution’s ability to pursue medical breakthroughs, scientific discoveries, and innovative solutions,” Harvard’s lawyers wrote in the Monday filing.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PLANS TO PULL $1 BILLION IN FUNDING FROM HARVARD AMID CLASH WITH UNIVERSITY: REPORT

In the 51-page complaint, obtained by the outlet, Harvard accused the Trump administration of unlawfully freezing billions in research funding to pressure the University into restructuring its governance, academic programs, and hiring practices.

The complaint argues that the freeze violates the First Amendment by “imposing viewpoint-based conditions on Harvard’s funding.”

In a recent social media post, Trump claimed that Harvard had “lost its way” and didn’t deserve federal funding.

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“Harvard has been hiring almost all woke, Radical Left, idiots and ‘birdbrains’ who are only capable of teaching FAILURE to students and so-called ‘future leaders,'” Trump wrote. “Look just to the recent past at their plagiarizing President, who so greatly embarrassed Harvard before the United States Congress.

“Harvard is a JOKE, teaches Hate and Stupidity, and should no longer receive Federal Funds.”

Fox News Digital’s Andrea Margolis contributed to this report. 

Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com