Trump Targets Harvard with $1 Billion Damage Claim

Tue Feb 03 2026 23:32:26 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The former U.S. president, Donald Trump, announced plans to seek $1 billion in damages from Harvard University amidst ongoing tensions concerning free speech and funding.

Donald Trump has escalated his feud with Harvard University by announcing a $1 billion damages claim. This move follows a series of conflicts regarding funding and university policies, particularly the institution's stance on antisemitism and its alleged promotion of 'woke' ideologies. This situation marks a continuation of the contentious relationship between Trump's administration and the Ivy League institution.

The former U.S. president, Donald Trump, announced he will seek $1 billion in damages from Harvard University, adding to his administration's ongoing disputes with the prestigious institution. This announcement follows a New York Times report revealing that negotiations between the Trump administration and Harvard had previously faltered after a demand for a $200 million payout.

Using Truth Social to express his grievances, Trump blamed Harvard for providing misleading information to the New York Times, claiming, Harvard has been feeding a lot of nonsense. Trump and his officials have previously charged the university with failing to adequately address antisemitism during pro-Palestinian protests; an accusation Harvard contests.

These conflicts are part of a broader campaign by the Trump administration against what it labels as 'woke' and 'radical left' ideologies present in American academia. Last April, the administration revoked approximately $2 billion in research grants and froze federal funding to Harvard, prompting the university to sue, arguing no government should dictate the educational and research pursuits of private universities.

A subsequent U.S. federal court overturned the funding cuts, asserting that the government's actions violated free speech rights. The court's decision was met with a vow from the White House to challenge the ruling and declare Harvard ineligible for future grants.

Before this latest dispute, discussions had been underway regarding a potential agreement to restore federal funding, but Trump's declaration now signals a definitive break. He wrote, We are now seeking One Billion Dollars in damages, and want nothing further to do, into the future, with Harvard University, citing 'serious and heinous illegalities' without specifying his claims.

In prior threats, Trump had sought to revoke Harvard's tax-exempt status and assume control of the university's patents from federally funded research. Meanwhile, three other Ivy League schools—Columbia, Penn, and Brown—managed to strike deals with Trump, ensuring they would retain funding without resorting to legal battles.