The White House reportedly sent Harvard University a list of demands aimed at combating antisemitism on campus, but later walked back the communication.
According to the New York Times, citing senior US officials, the White House mistakenly sent Harvard University a letter outlining broad demands concerning university admissions, hiring practices, and curriculum changes, which the administration claimed were intended to address antisemitism.
Following a surge of pro-Palestinian demonstrations across US campuses, the White House reportedly emailed Harvard an “updated and expanded list of demands” last Friday. The message allegedly warned Harvard that it “must comply” to maintain government funding. The proposals purportedly included changes to governance, hiring, and admissions, including the elimination of all DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) programs.
Harvard reportedly rejected the demands, accusing the White House of attempting to “control” its campus. Subsequently, US President Donald Trump’s administration reportedly announced a freeze on over $2.2 billion in federal grants and $60 million in government contracts with the university.
However, shortly thereafter, a Trump administration official reportedly contacted Harvard, claiming the letter was “unauthorized,” according to sources familiar with the situation.
The letter had reportedly been reviewed by Sean Keveney, acting general counsel at the Department of Health and Human Services and a member of the antisemitism task force, according to multiple sources briefed on the matter.
While the letter’s content was authentic, an unnamed official told the newspaper that there were conflicting accounts within the administration regarding how it was mishandled. Some reportedly believed it was sent prematurely, while others suggested it was intended for internal use only.
May Mailman, a senior policy strategist at the White House, acknowledged the controversy to the New York Times but criticized Harvard for not verifying the letter’s authenticity.
Harvard reportedly refuted that criticism, stating that the letter bore official federal signatures and appeared legitimate. “It remains unclear to us exactly what, among the government’s recent words and deeds, were mistakes or what the government actually meant to do and say. But even if the letter was a mistake, the actions the government took this week have real-life consequences” for students and employees as well as “the standing of American higher education in the world,” it said in a statement to the Times.
Following a surprise attack by Hamas that resulted in over 1,200 deaths, Israel declared war on the militant group in October 2023. The offensive, which has reportedly resulted in over 50,000 deaths according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, has triggered protests on US university campuses, which has been providing West Jerusalem with weapons.
Last year, Columbia, Harvard, UC Berkeley, Yale, Michigan, and Northwestern became focal points for protests, contributing to heightened tensions that have influenced the administration’s efforts to increase campus oversight. Last month, the task force also reportedly cut $400 million in funding to Columbia and warned of further cuts.
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