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The university had recently restarted talks with the White House regarding a potential deal after months of fighting in court.
By Michael C. Bender and Alan Blinder
Michael C. Bender, reporting from Washington, and Alan Blinder, reporting from Atlanta, have been covering the Trump administration’s attacks on Harvard for months.
June 30, 2025Updated 10:59 a.m. ET
The Trump administration determined that Harvard University violated federal civil rights law by failing to address the harassment of Jewish students on campus, increasing the pressure on the Ivy League school as it negotiates a possible settlement with the White House.
The administration sent a letter on Monday to Alan M. Garber, the president of Harvard, informing the school of the findings of its investigation. The administration said the university ignored the concerns of Jewish and Israeli students who felt threatened during protests on campus over the war in Gaza, according to two people briefed on the letter who insisted on anonymity to discuss the determination.
The findings come about two months after a Harvard task force reported on “the alienating and hostile atmosphere that many Jewish and Israeli students at Harvard described experiencing, particularly in the 2023-24 academic year.”
The Wall Street Journal was first to report the letter.
The Trump administration has targeted Harvard for months over accusations of antisemitism, but broadened its attacks in recent weeks to include investigations of discrimination against white men in student admissions policies. The government has also tried to limit the number of international students who can attend the university.
The administration has cut billions of dollars in federal research funding to the university, threatening its prestige and its financial standing.
Harvard did not immediately comment on Monday. But in recent weeks, university officials began talks with the government about a potential settlement. This latest notice from the government could represent an effort to gain greater leverage in those talks, a prelude to a formal, court-enforced settlement, or both.
