On March 31, the Trump administration announced it was reviewing over $8.7 billion in multi-year grants and $255.6 million in federal contracts tied to Harvard. Why? Because Harvard has allowed antisemitism to grow unchecked on its campus. Let's be honest—this isn't some new revelation. Congress already grilled Harvard, Penn, and MIT in late 2023 for this issue. Jewish students testified about harassment, intimidation, and open hostility. And what has Harvard done since then? More "dialogue circles" and empty statements. Meanwhile, students are still being targeted simply for being Jewish. Harvard hides behind buzzwords like "academic freedom" and "diverse perspectives," but that doesn't excuse looking the other way to hate.
Trump, to his credit, is not playing around. He's already gone after Columbia University, looking at pulling $400 million in federal funds for similar failures. He even canceled $175 million in funding to the University of Pennsylvania over their transgender sports policies—another example of ideology taking precedence over fairness and reality. However, the $9 billion aimed at Harvard is entirely on another level. This isn't about political games. It's about holding powerful institutions accountable for failing to protect students—something they claim to care about until it costs them something.
Harvard President Alan Garber had the nerve to complain that losing federal funds would "halt life-saving research." That's rich. What about the lives of Jewish students currently facing threats and harassment on their watch? What about their safety and mental well-being? The Department of Education has already warned more than 60 colleges, including Harvard, that they could violate Title VI if they don't take action to protect Jewish students. Trump's move is more than justified—it's necessary. It's the wake-up call these elite schools have long needed.
As a high school senior exploring college options, I know this issue hits home. I want to attend a school where I feel safe, where truth matters more than ideological nonsense, and where antisemitism—or any form of hate—isn't brushed aside because it doesn't fit the woke narrative. Harvard has had 15 months to fix this problem. They've failed. Now Trump's stepping in, and it's another massive win for conservatives who are tired of being ignored. Pulling $9 billion sends a crystal-clear message: no more excuses. You don't deserve taxpayer dollars if you can't protect your students.
Harvard can cry about lost funding and disrupted research all day, but they've had enough time to course-correct. This isn't a surprise—it's a consequence. I want a future where colleges and universities put student safety and truth above politics and posturing. Trump's $9 billion power move is a step in that direction. Gen Z is watching, and we're done waiting for elites to fix themselves. This is about unshackling the next generation from a broken system—and I'm 100% here for it.
