The Trump administration has appealed a federal judge’s ruling that it illegally froze more than $2 billion in research funding to Harvard University in an effort to punish the school for refusing to comply with government demands.
US government lawyers filed the appeal on Thursday (Dec 18), more than three months after a federal court ruled against the administration.
The judge found a violation of rights
On September 3, US District Judge Allison Burroughs ruled that the Trump administration violated Harvard’s rights to free speech and due process by withholding federal research funds.
Since this decision, the government has released most of the funds that had been frozen.
The Harvard campaign in the center of the White House
Harvard has emerged as a major target of President Donald Trump’s broader effort to reshape elite higher education in the United States.
The campaign initially focused on allegations of anti-Semitism on campuses following the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, but later expanded to include allegations of political bias, scrutiny of university-China ties, and opposition to diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
The university responds to the appeal
In a statement Friday, a Harvard spokesman said Judge Burroughs’ decision restored “critical funding for research that advances scientific advances and life-saving medical discoveries, strengthens national security, and strengthens our nation’s competitiveness and economic priorities.” The case now moves to the Court of Appeal.
The funding freeze triggered a legal battle
The Trump administration froze Harvard’s research funding in April after the university refused to comply with a series of federal requirements regarding governance, admissions and hiring practices.
