A U.S. federal court has declared illegal President Donald Trump’s order suspending $2.2 billion in federal funding allocated to Harvard University. The ruling was delivered yesterday, Tuesday, by Federal District Court Judge Allison Burroughs.
In her ruling, the judge stated that Trump’s order to suspend Harvard University’s $2.2 billion in federal funds was unlawful and that the Trump administration cannot block government funding in the future either.
Harvard is the oldest, most prestigious, and wealthiest university in the United States. Along with American students, some of the brightest students from around the world study there. More than one-third of its total student population consists of international students.
Last April, Donald Trump accused Harvard of fueling anti-Semitism and far-left ideology in the United States by admitting foreign students. To “bring Harvard back on track,” he also sent the university administration a set of written directives.
However, when Harvard authorities refused to comply with those orders, Trump suspended the university’s entitled $2.2 billion federal funding.
After the suspension, Harvard filed a lawsuit in federal district court, calling it a “retaliatory measure.” Yesterday, the court delivered its verdict on that case.
Indeed, the ruling is seen as a major victory for Harvard. Following the decision, Harvard President Alan Garber said in a statement:
“Through this ruling, the court has recognized our university’s academic freedom, complex scientific research, and the fundamental principles of higher education in the United States.”
On the other hand, the White House has hinted at appealing the decision in a higher court. White House spokesperson Liz Houston said in a statement:
“The judge who issued this ruling is an activist appointed during former President Barack Obama’s tenure. We believe Harvard has no constitutional right to play games with U.S. taxpayers’ money, and we will closely examine how this university receives federal funding in the future.”
