US President Donald Trump announced an agreement on Tuesday between his administration and Harvard University, as part of the prestigious Massachusetts academic institution's legal battle over funding cuts imposed by the White House, which has also taken similar measures against other universities for hosting pro-Palestinian protests.
"All they have to do is put it on paper," Trump told Education Secretary Linda McMahon during the signing of an unrelated executive order in the Oval Office. "It'll be great," he added, without further details, in statements reported by the news agency.
Harvard and Washington have been at odds for months over federal funding for the university, ever since Trump froze funding to the school in retaliation for pro-Palestinian protests on its campus, a strategy the president has replicated with other universities, such as Columbia, Brown, and Pennsylvania.
In Harvard's case, the dispute has grown as the White House resident, over the months, has added accusations about alleged political bias, ties to China and its Communist Party , and the Republican administration's opposition to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.
In its latest legal battle, in early September, a judge ruled in favor of the university, finding that the Trump administration acted illegally when it froze more than $2 billion (more than €1.7 billion) in research funds for the academic institution.
However, despite the agreement outlined by the US president, this Monday the Department of Health announced it was subjecting Harvard to a suspension and disqualification process that would exclude it from potential contracts with government agencies or receiving federal funds. This announcement came just over a week after the university, following another court ruling, was once again granted federal grants worth $46 million (just over €39 million ), which had previously been frozen.
