One plan fails, another emerges! Trump takes action again, attempting to "cut off federal funding to Harvard."

After the court ruled that freezing Harvard's research funding was unconstitutional, the Trump administration did not relent; instead, it escalated the confrontation.

According to a letter from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to Harvard University President Alan Garber on September 29, the department’s Office for Civil Rights is initiating a “debarment” procedure against Harvard University. According to The Wall Street Journal, this move could potentially inflict the heaviest financial blow yet to America’s oldest and wealthiest university, threatening billions of dollars in funding.

The “debarment” procedure is intended to exclude entities deemed “irresponsible” from business dealings with the government. A U.S. government official said the White House believes Harvard University has not done enough in addressing campus antisemitism.

According to the procedure, the government would first propose suspending all federal grants to Harvard, with the suspension lasting for one year. During this period, it would review whether Harvard should be permanently barred from receiving federal funding. According to the notice, Harvard has 20 days to request a hearing.

This latest move comes at a time when settlement negotiations between the two sides have reached a stalemate.

Earlier this month, Harvard scored a significant legal victory against the Trump administration. Wallstreetcn reported that on September 3, Federal District Judge Allison Burroughs ruled that the Trump administration's move to slash $2.2 billion in research funding for Harvard violated the Constitution, and ordered the federal government to restore the funding.

In her ruling, the judge pointed out that the federal government “used antisemitism as a pretext to launch a politically motivated and targeted attack against the nation's top university," infringing on Harvard's rights to free speech and due process. This ruling significantly strengthened Harvard’s position in settlement talks.

Twists and Turns: From Settlement Negotiations to Full-Blown Confrontation

Before the latest escalation, the two sides were once close to reaching a settlement.

Wallstreetcn previously reported that Harvard was close to reaching a $500 million settlement agreement with the Trump administration in exchange for the government unfreezing billions in research funds. President Trump himself had publicly stated that he hoped to “take back at least $500 million” from Harvard.

Now, with the court’s ruling and the breakdown of negotiations, confrontation is intensifying. The White House is attempting to “cut off Harvard’s federal funding” through administrative measures such as “debarment.”

A Harvard spokesperson did not immediately comment. The university has previously stated that it has taken steps to address antisemitism on campus, and believes the government’s actions infringe on its rights protected by the First Amendment.

Previously, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon wrote to Harvard in May, saying it would no longer be eligible for future federal grants. In addition, the U.S. government had threatened Harvard's tax-exempt status and its ability to enroll international students.

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