Harvard has sued the administration of US President Donald Trump, in a sharp escalation of the conflict between the prestigious university and the Republican leader, who has threatened to cut off funding and tried to impose political oversight from outside.
Trump has tried to discipline several prestigious universities over allegations that they tolerated anti-Semitism on campuses, threatening their budgets, tax breaks and international student enrollment, but Harvard has refused to budge.
“This case concerns the government’s attempt to use the withholding of federal funding as a means of pressure to take control of academic decisions at Harvard,” the Ivy League university said in a lawsuit filed in federal court in Massachusetts, which also names several other institutions targeted by Trump, AFP reported.
The lawsuit alleges that the US government’s actions violate not only the First Amendment but also federal laws and regulations, describing Trump’s actions as “arbitrary and capricious.”
Trump is furious with Harvard for rejecting government oversight of its admissions, personnel and policy practices, and last week ordered a freeze on $2.2 billion in federal funding for the venerable institution.
