Court Blocks Trump’s $2.2bn Harvard Research Cuts

A federal judge in Boston on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, ruled that the Trump administration acted unlawfully when it cut off billions of dollars in federal research funding to Harvard University.

U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs said the administration’s move to freeze and terminate more than $2.2 billion in grants was unconstitutional and must be reversed.

She found that the decision violated Harvard’s First Amendment rights, Title VI of the Higher Education Act, and the Administrative Procedure Act.

The funding cuts, announced in April 2025, followed a letter from a federal antisemitism task force demanding wide-ranging reforms to Harvard’s governance, admissions, and academic policies. After Harvard refused to comply, the administration escalated by halting research grants, threatening the school’s tax-exempt status, and moving to restrict its enrollment of international students.

In her ruling, Judge Burroughs described the government’s justification as a “smokescreen,” concluding that the actions amounted to unlawful retaliation against the university for resisting political interference.

The court’s order vacates the freeze and termination of grants and bars the government from taking similar steps under the same rationale.

Harvard welcomed the judgment, saying it affirms the principle that federal funding cannot be used as leverage to impose political demands on higher education institutions.

The Trump administration has not yet commented, though it is expected to appeal.

The decision comes months after the same court blocked a separate attempt by the administration to stop Harvard from enrolling international students, a case also decided in Harvard’s favor.

While Wednesday’s ruling requires that the funds be restored, it remains unclear how quickly the money will flow back to the university. Ongoing discussions about a possible settlement including a government demand that Harvard pay $500 million could further complicate the process.