President Trump said he is seeking $1 billion in damages from Harvard University, the latest escalation in his administration’s fight with the institution over alleged antisemitism.
Trump posted on social media after the New York Times reported that his administration had dropped its demand for a $200 million payment to the government to settle the dispute.
“Strongly Antisemitic Harvard University has been feeding a lot of ‘nonsense’ to The Failing New York Times,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform overnight. “This case will continue until justice is served,” he added. “We are now seeking One Billion Dollars in damages, and want nothing further to do, into the future, with Harvard University.”
Trump didn’t specify how or when he might seek the $1 billion. Harvard didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Ivy League school has been locked in a battle with the Trump administration for months over allegations of antisemitism and concerns about diversity practices. The government has pulled billions of dollars in federal research funds, threatened the school’s tax-exempt status and attacked its ability to enroll international students.
The Times reported Monday that Harvard had rejected the idea of the $200 million payment because it was wary of backlash from liberal students and faculty. Hours later, Trump criticized the newspaper and Harvard in two Truth Social posts.
Before the president’s latest remarks, the administration had been in discussions with Harvard over a deal to unfreeze federal funding.
Trump has targeted a slate of prominent American universities in a crackdown that has disrupted university operations, raised questions over institutional autonomy and highlighted academia’s relationship with the federal government. In November, Cornell University agreed to pay $60 million, following similar deals by Brown and Columbia universities to settle their disputes with the administration.
The feud dates back Trump’s criticism of Harvard’s handling of pro-Palestinian protests on campus and debates over diversity, equity and inclusion programs at the college. That assault was part of a broader conservative campaign to reverse what they deem the progressive takeover of American education. Shortly after taking office in early 2025, Trump vowed to crack down on what he called “woke ideology” at universities. What followed was a series of legal threats, funding freezes and cuts to grants across the higher-education sector.
In April last year, Trump revoked roughly $2 billion in research grants to Harvard and put a freeze on its federal funding. The university sued, arguing that no government should dictate what private universities teach, whom they admit or hire, or which areas of study they pursue.
A Boston federal judge later overturned the cuts, ruling that the government had violated Harvard’s free-speech rights.
Harvard has released its own reports on campus antisemitism and anti-Muslim bias that painted a critical picture of the school’s political and academic climate. The school has said it has taken steps to address antisemitism and discrimination on campus.
Write to Gareth Vipers at gareth.vipers@wsj.com