US government sues Harvard over anti-Israel protests, cites ‘hostile environment’

The Trump administration, through the Department of Justice, filed a lawsuit against Harvard University on Friday, alleging a hostile environment for Jewish and Israeli students during pro-Palestinian demonstrations from 2023 to 2025. The lawsuit accuses Harvard of failing to enforce its own rules against anti-Israel protesters and allowing them to occupy libraries and establish encampments. The DOJ claims Harvard faculty and leadership ignored antisemitism and discrimination against Jewish and Israeli students. This action follows a similar lawsuit filed against UCLA in February, as the Trump administration intensifies its scrutiny of universities regarding pro-Palestinian movements and accusations of antisemitism. The lawsuit was filed in a Massachusetts court.

In 2026, the Trump administration filed a lawsuit against Harvard University, seeking billions of dollars in restitution for allegedly neglecting the civil rights of Jewish and Israeli students amidst protests over the war in Gaza. The Department of Justice claims Harvard "allowed anti-Semitism to flourish" and intentionally excluded Jewish and Israeli students, denying them equal access to educational opportunities. Harvard rejected the lawsuit, calling it a retaliatory action stemming from a longstanding feud with President Trump. The university stated it has taken steps to address anti-Semitism and cares deeply about its Jewish and Israeli community. The lawsuit seeks to recoup federal grants, potentially totaling $2.6 billion, awarded to Harvard since October 2023. The case will be litigated before US District Judge Richard Stearns.

The Trump administration has filed a lawsuit against Harvard University in Massachusetts, alleging the institution enabled antisemitism and violated the civil rights of Jewish and Israeli students following the 2023 Hamas attack and subsequent Israeli response. The lawsuit claims Harvard allowed anti-Israel protests to operate "with impunity," creating a hostile environment where Jewish students were harassed and denied access to facilities. The administration asserts Harvard selectively enforced its policies, ignoring antisemitism while strictly addressing other forms of bias. This legal action follows a previous court ruling against the Trump administration for unlawfully canceling federal research grants to Harvard in September, which was seen as retaliation for the university's defiance of directives regarding diversity programs and pro-Palestinian protests. The lawsuit seeks to reignite a feud that the September ruling appeared to have settled.

In March 2026, the Trump administration's Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Harvard University, alleging the university failed to address antisemitism on campus, violating federal civil rights law. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Massachusetts, seeks to freeze existing grants and recover billions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies already awarded to the institution. The Justice Department claims the U.S. cannot tolerate Harvard's failures to comply with civil rights law. This action follows a protracted battle between the Trump administration and Harvard, escalating from an investigation into campus antisemitism to disputes over research funding, federal contracts, and international students. Harvard has previously filed lawsuits claiming unfair penalization for refusing to adopt the administration's definition of antisemitism.