U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called on Harvard to wake up Friday as the Pentagon cut all ties with the university in a move that ends military education, scholarships and certification programs.
“File this under: LONG ENDED @DeptWar is formally ending ALL professional military education, fellowships, and certificate programs at Harvard University. Harvard woke up, the War Department didn’t,” Hegseth said in a post on X along with a video of the DoD action.
In a separate statement Friday, Hegseth announced the Defense Department’s move to cut all ties with Harvard University, the latest action in the Trump administration’s battle with the educational institute over claims it promotes “awakening” ideology.
“For too long, this department has sent our best and brightest officers to Harvard in hopes that the university would better understand and appreciate our warrior class,” Pete Hegseth said in a statement.
“Instead, too many of our officers have come back looking too much like Harvard – heads full of globalist and radical ideologies that do not improve our fighting positions,” he added.
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When will it come into effect?
Beginning in the 2026-27 academic year, the Pentagon will end graduate professional military education, fellowships and certification programs, the statement said.
Employees currently taking courses at Harvard will be able to complete those courses.
Similar programs at other Ivy League universities will be evaluated in the coming weeks, Hegseth said in a statement.
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The defense secretary said the Pentagon will review its ties with all Ivy League colleges for military training and education.
“The goal is to determine whether they actually provide a cost-effective strategic education for future leaders compared to, for example, public universities and our military graduate programs,” he said.
Hegseth himself graduated from an Ivy League college, studied at both Princeton and Harvard. However, in 2022, he reportedly sent his degree back to Harvard University in a Fox News segment while criticizing its leftist politics.
A Pentagon social media account operated by Hegseth’s office resurfaced a clip in which Hegseth, then a Fox News commentator, returned the diploma and wrote “Return to Sender” on it in marker.
Trump’s battle with Harvard
US President Donald Trump said Monday that his administration would seek $1 billion in damages from Harvard after a New York Times report said it won some concessions in ongoing settlement talks with the government.
Trump administration officials have accused Harvard and other colleges of failing to adequately protect Jewish students during pro-Palestinian protests, filing legal complaints and demanding exorbitant payouts.
Trump has previously sought to cut more than $2.6 billion in funding to Harvard and has moved to block the entry of international students – a quarter of its student body.