Harvard Secures Court Victory Against Trump Administration

By Vaidant September 9, 2025
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Harvard University has won a major legal battle against the Trump administration, with a federal court ruling that the government unlawfully froze USD $2.2 billion in research funding.

The dispute stemmed from the administration’s abrupt decision to block federal research grants earlier this year under the pretext of addressing antisemitism on campus. In a Boston court, US district judge Allison Burroughs ruled that the move violated Harvard’s constitutional rights and described the justification as a “smokescreen for a targeted, ideologically motivated assault”.

Judge Burroughs emphasised that the administration’s actions jeopardised decades of research and undermined the rights protected by the First Amendment. Alongside unfreezing the grants, she also issued a permanent injunction preventing the government from withholding future funding in retaliation for the university’s protected speech.

The ruling was met with swift criticism from the White House. Spokesperson Liz Huston accused Burroughs of being an “activist Obama-appointed judge” and vowed to appeal. She insisted that Harvard had “failed to protect their students from harassment” and argued the institution had no constitutional right to taxpayer dollars.

The legal clash has become a flashpoint in the Trump administration’s broader campaign against higher education in the United States, with Harvard emerging as the only university willing to challenge the government in court. Beyond the frozen funding, the administration has also threatened to curb Harvard’s ability to enroll international students and demanded the release of overseas student data.

Harvard’s president, Alan Garber, welcomed the decision, saying it affirmed the university’s academic freedom and the essential role of research in advancing society. However, he cautioned that with an appeal expected, the battle was far from over.

The case has drawn widespread attention across the American higher education sector. More than two dozen organisations, led by the American Council on Education, supported Harvard in the lawsuit, warning that the outcome could have long-lasting consequences for scientific and technological progress.

While the court victory provides temporary relief, experts note that the matter is likely to reach the US Supreme Court, where a conservative majority could reshape the outcome. For now, Harvard has secured a crucial win, but the struggle between the administration and one of America’s leading universities is set to continue.

Source: THE PIE NEWS

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