Harvard donors beg university to strike deal with Trump after funding cuts

Harvard donors have reportedly been urging the Ivy League university to work with the Trump administration after the education department slashed $2.2 billion in federal funding, according to a New York Times report. Federal funding for the Massachusetts-based university was pulled earlier this month after Harvard refused to comply with the administration's demands for rooting out antisemitism and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives on campus.

The NYT report published on Tuesday revealed that influential university donors urged the Harvard Corporation to strike a deal with President Trump before funding was pulled, but came up short. "For weeks leading up to the April 11 letter, the corporation took a very different stance toward the Trump administration. At the urging of some of its biggest donors, the corporation frantically tried to cut a deal with Mr. Trump," the Times reported.
 

"Over the past month, as it became clear that Mr. Trump was ratcheting up pressure on Harvard, the school's president, Dr. Alan Garber, looked for ways into the White House - including a potential meeting with Mr. Trump himself," the Times reported, citing three people briefed on the matter. However, Garber was unsuccessful in his attempt to meet with the president, which culminated in Garber releasing a response to the administration's demands, saying it was "clear that the intention is not to work with us to address antisemitism in a cooperative and constructive manner."

As a result of his response letter, Trump's Education Department announced that $2.2 billion in federal grants to the school would be frozen and later threatened to pull the school's tax-exempt status. The Department of Education recently suspended federal funding to nearly all Ivy League institutions in response to investigations into anti-Israel protests, which included the infamous Spring 2024 Gaza encampments.

Despite failed attempts, Harvard mega donors are still urging the university to strike a deal with Trump. This includes billionaire hedge fund manager John Paulson and Pershing Square chief executive William A. Ackman, who believe "it is a mistake to fight with the president," according to the Times. Additionally, several donors claimed that Harvard has failed to combat antisemitism on campus and has ignored the "rightward shift of the country."

After Trump's notice, Harvard Corporation fellows threw support behind Garber and encouraged him to "release a fiery rebuttal to Mr. Trump's demands." But as the situation has grown more intense, donors in a Thursday call "implored the corporation to slow down and negotiate for the sake of the institution," the paper reported.

But Garber appears not to have taken the advice. On Monday, Harvard University sued the Trump administration for attempting to gain "unprecedented and improper control." However, Garber noted on a recent donor call "that the White House has raised reasonable issues about antisemitism," per the Times.