Trump seeks $1 billion in damages from Harvard University over ‘serious and heinous illegalities’

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Trump seeks $1 billion in damages from Harvard University over ‘serious and heinous illegalities’

'Harvard will have to live with the consequences of their wrongdoings,' Trump says

Brian Flood Fox News

Published

February 3, 2026 12:15pm EST

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President Donald Trump said Monday that he is seeking $1 billion in damages from Harvard University.

Harvard has been a main target of the Trump administration’s attempt to leverage federal funding in order to crack down on antisemitism and "woke" ideology. The New York Times published a Monday report headlined, "Trump Is Said to Have Dropped Demand for Cash From Harvard," that suggested the president was no longer seeking a $200 million payment to the government. Trump took to social media, blasting the Times and saying he now wants the prestigious university to shell out even more cash.

"Strongly Antisemitic Harvard University has been feeding a lot of ‘nonsense’ to The Failing New York Times. Harvard has been, for a long time, behaving very badly! They wanted to do a convoluted job training concept, but it was turned down in that it was wholly inadequate and would not have been, in our opinion, successful. It was merely a way of Harvard getting out of a large cash settlement of more than 500 Million Dollars, a number that should be much higher for the serious and heinous illegalities that they have committed. This should be a Criminal, not Civil, event, and Harvard will have to live with the consequences of their wrongdoings," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

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Donald Trump is seen with Harvard's library in the background

President Donald Trump said Monday that he is seeking $1 billion in damages from Harvard University. (Getty Images)

"In any event, this case will continue until justice is served," Trump continued. "We are now seeking One Billion Dollars in damages, and want nothing further to do, into the future, with Harvard University."

Trump did not specify what specific damages Harvard caused, but suggested he agrees with at least one part of the Gray Lady report.

"As The Failing New York Times clearly stated, ‘Some connected to the University, however, think Harvard has no option but to eventually cut a deal. The Administration has repeatedly attempted to cut off research grants, which would be an untenable crises. Like many major research universities, Harvard relies on federal funding for its financial model,’" Trump wrote.

Harvard University did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to blast The New York Times and Harvard University. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

The Times updated its report following Trump’s reaction.

"Trump administration officials have indicated in recent days that the president no longer expects such a payment, according to the Harvard and Trump officials briefed on the matter, speaking on the condition of anonymity to describe private conversations," the Times reported. "But shortly before midnight, six hours after The Times reported that Mr. Trump had backtracked, he claimed the story was wrong and attacked The Times and Harvard."

In December, lawyers for the Trump administration appealed a judge’s order to restore $2.7 billion in frozen federal research funding to Harvard University.

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Harvard protester waves Palestinian flag

Demonstrators gather on Cambridge Common to protest Harvard's stance on the war in Gaza and show support for the Palestinian people, outside Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, April 25, 2025. (Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images)

Harvard sued the Trump administration in April over its attempt to freeze the federal funding and argued in court that the actions amounted to an unconstitutional "pressure campaign" to influence and exert control over elite academic institutions.

The Trump administration accused Harvard of "fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus," but Harvard Law professor Noah Feldman said in a radio interview that the move is "about Trump trying to impose his view of the world on everybody else."

Lawyers for the Justice Department argued it had "every right" to cancel the funding for Harvard after it failed to comply with its demands.

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A spokesperson for Harvard previously told Fox News Digital that the court's September order reinstated "critical research funding that advances science and life-saving medical breakthroughs, strengthens national security, and enhances our nation’s competitiveness and economic priorities."

"We remain confident in our legal position," the spokesperson added.

Fox News Digital’s Breanne Deppisch contributed to this report.

Brian Flood is a media editor/reporter for FOX News Digital. Story tips can be sent to brian.flood@fox.com and on Twitter: @briansflood.

Trump seeks $1 billion in damages from Harvard University over ‘serious and heinous illegalities’