Harvard and Trump administration close to $500 million settlement: report

The Trump administration and Harvard University are reportedly close to reaching a settlement of $500 million, according to The New York Times.

“Negotiators for the White House and the university have made significant progress in their closed-door discussions over the past week, developing a framework for a settlement to end their monthslong battle,” the Times reported.

The Times also reported that President Donald Trump and senior Harvard officials need to sign off on the terms of the deal, as both sides are still in discussions. 

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“But under the framework coming together, Harvard would agree to spend $500 million on vocational and educational programs and research, three of the people said. That figure, currently penciled in to be paid out over years, would meet a demand from President Trump that Harvard spend more than double what Columbia University agreed last month to pay. It would also satisfy Harvard’s wish that it not pay the government directly, as Columbia is doing,” the report stated.

Earlier this year, the Trump administration froze $2.2 billion in funding to the university and threatened to revoke its tax-exempt status due to the Ivy League school’s alleged failure to address antisemitism on campus. 

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The Department of Education’s Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism released a statement on May 13, announcing a cut of $450 million in grants from the university, citing that Harvard has “repeatedly failed to confront the pervasive race discrimination and antisemitic harassment plaguing its campus,” in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attack against Israel.

Harvard hit back with a lawsuit over the funding freeze, claiming it was unlawful.

The Times report came after Trump settled with Columbia over the institution’s handling of protests and antisemitism on campus.

The Columbia settlement includes $200 million over three years for alleged discriminatory practices and $21 million to settle claims of discrimination against Jewish faculty.

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The White House called it the largest antisemitism-related settlement in U.S. history. Columbia confirmed the dollar amounts, but characterized the deal differently. Columbia’s settlement with the Trump administration is laying the groundwork for a culture of accountability, Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in an interview with Fox News Digital last week.

“This agreement is going to be an excellent template for other universities to be able to use as well,” McMahon said. 

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and Harvard for comment but did not immediately receive a response. 

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Harvard and Trump administration negotiators made significant progress on potential $500 million deal, more than double Columbia University’s recent settlement amount.