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Trump administration freezes Harvard funding after university refuses to curb student activism
Hundreds of demonstrators gather on Cambridge Common during a rally at the historic park in Cambridge, Mass., April 12, 2025, calling on Harvard University to resist what organizers described as attempts by President Trump to influence the institution

THE US government is freezing billions of dollars in funding for Harvard University after the institution vowed to defy its demands to limit activism on campus.

The suspension of more than $2.2 billion (£1.6bn) in grants and $60 million (£45.3m) in contracts marks the seventh time President Donald Trump’s administration has taken such action against one of the nation’s top colleges in an attempt to force compliance with the Trump agenda.

In a letter to Harvard on Friday, the Trump administration called for broad reforms to how the university is run, as well as changes to its admissions policies. It also demanded the university audit views of diversity on campus and stop recognising some student societies.

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