‘Don’t negotiate, Linda’: Trump wants at least $500 million in a deal with Harvard
During a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, President Donald Trump publicly called for Harvard University to pay at least $500 million in a settlement to restore nearly $3 billion of its federal funding.
"We want nothing less than $500 million from Harvard," Trump told U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon.
"Don't negotiate, Linda. They've been very bad," he continued.
Harvard has been at the center of the Trump administration's attacks on higher education since April, including attacking the university's federal and research funding and international students.
The New York Times first reported that there could be a $500 million deal on the table at the end of July. Other institutions, such as Columbia University and Brown University , have struck deals with the federal government recently.
Over 14,000 students, alumni, faculty and members of the public have urged Harvard University not to "succumb to the illegal demands" that may be part of a deal with the Trump administration, according to a letter sent to Harvard administrators .
"A settlement with the Trump administration will have a chilling effect on the Harvard community and on all of higher education. The university must hold the line: for higher education institutions across the country, for the foundational role that independent higher education plays in our democracy and for the many lives benefitted by the research, service and scholarship of the Harvard community," the letter reads.
While settlement talks continue, Harvard is simultaneously pursuing two lawsuits against the federal government.
One lawsuit targets the cutting of over $2.6 billion in federal funding to the institution , while the other challenges the administration's attempts to revoke the university's ability to host international students .
Most recently, the Trump administration threatened to take over Harvard University's patents , saying that the university has "failed to live up to its obligations to the American taxpayer."
What has happened between the Trump administration and Harvard?
The Trump administration has gone after Harvard since April, cutting billions of dollars.
The federal government warned the school could risk losing $9 billion in funding if it does not meet a list of demands that includes an overhaul of Harvard's leadership structure, admissions and hiring.
Harvard rejected those demands, saying the administration sought to "invade university freedoms long recognized by the Supreme Court."
Then the fight over funding unfolded.
It began with a $2.2 billion funding freeze on April 14 after the school refused to comply with the White House's demands.
In response, Harvard filed a lawsuit on April 21, arguing that its constitutional rights had been violated by the government's threats to pull billions of dollars in funding.
Garber also signed onto a letter with hundreds of other university presidents pushing back against "government overreach and political interference" by the Trump administration.
At the beginning of May, the Trump administration said it would bar Harvard University from acquiring new federal grants while the school continues to refuse to comply with the administration's demands for change on its campus.
A few days later, eight federal agencies cut $450 million in grants , and then the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services cut $60 million in grants from the university.
Harvard went on to amend its lawsuit against the Trump administration.
On May 16, a wave of nearly one thousand federal research grant terminations began , amounting to more than $2.4 billion, according to an analysis by Nature .
In response, Harvard established a new Presidential Priorities Fund, asking for donations in the midst of federal cuts.
After nearly every single federal grant had been terminated, some of Harvard's schools, including its School of Public Health, took to social media to ask for donations.
Other investigations and threats have been made against the institution, some of which have focused on threatening the university's ability to enroll international students.
This prompted Harvard to open a second lawsuit against the Trump administration over its ability to accept international students.
Most recently, the U.S. State Department opened an investigation into Harvard University's use of international visas.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has also subpoenaed Harvard over its failure to provide documents concerning the misconduct or criminal actions of foreign students.
More Higher Ed
Read the original article on MassLive .
