Trump says administration will seek $1 billion from Harvard in dispute

President Trump said his administration is seeking $1 billion in damages from Harvard University, accusing the school of antisemitism and other misconduct and saying the matter should be treated as criminal rather than civil.

In a social media post on Monday night, Trump said Harvard had attempted to avoid a large financial settlement through what he described as an inadequate job-training proposal.

Trump said the university was trying to escape a settlement of more than $500 million and that the administration is now seeking $1 billion and wants no future relationship with the school.

“This should be a Criminal, not Civil, event, and Harvard will have to live with the consequences of their wrongdoings,” Trump added. “In any event, this case will continue until justice is served.”

Trump criticized Harvard President Alan Garber, who took office after antisemitism allegations were raised against the university.

The comments came hours after The New York Times reported that the Trump administration had dropped a previous demand that Harvard make a $200 million payment to the U.S. Treasury.

The dispute stems from federal investigations launched after the administration accused Harvard of failing to adequately address antisemitic harassment on campus. As part of the conflict, the administration has sought to restrict or terminate federal research funding, which Harvard challenged in court.

Harvard has argued that the funding threats violate federal law and constitutional protections. A federal judge has previously blocked efforts to cut off billions of dollars in research grants while litigation continues.

Trump cited reporting by the NYT indicating that some affiliated with Harvard believe the university may ultimately be forced to reach a financial settlement due to its reliance on federal research funding.