Harvard University and the Trump administration are close to agreeing on a $500 million settlement after months of fighting over federal funding, according to someone familiar with the talks.
The dispute began when the U.S. government accused Harvard of refusing to make certain reforms. In response, the administration cut off government contracts and froze more than $2.6 billion in research funding.
If the deal is finalized, Harvard would get back access to those federal research funds and the federal investigations against the school would end. The agreement could be completed within the next few weeks.
So far, neither Harvard nor the White House has made any public statements.
From Antisemitism Probe to Major Clash
The conflict started as an investigation into claims of antisemitism on Harvard’s campus. It later grew into a bigger battle over how the university is run. The government said Harvard resisted making changes and took action by cutting contracts, halting funding, and trying to limit its international student programs.
Harvard fought back with lawsuits, claiming the administration’s actions were illegal retaliation after the school refused demands it believed would harm academic freedom.
If approved, the $500 million payment would be the largest ever in the administration’s settlements with top universities. For comparison, Columbia University recently paid $200 million to regain funding, while Brown University paid $50 million to local workforce programs.
Trump’s Push Against Elite Universities
President Trump has made reforming higher education a major goal in his second term. He argues that elite schools are biased and not transparent enough. With a $53 billion endowment, Harvard has been one of his main targets.
