Harvard Weighs $500M Settlement As Trump Targets Campus Antisemitism

Harvard University is reportedly willing to pay up to $500 million to resolve a civil rights dispute with the Trump administration over its alleged failure to curb antisemitism on campus. The potential settlement comes amid a broader crackdown by President Donald Trump on elite universities accused of enabling antisemitic rhetoric and hiding behind diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies.

The New York Times reported Monday that negotiations remain ongoing, but the proposed amount is more than double the $220 million Columbia University recently agreed to pay in a similar case. Columbia’s agreement included the appointment of an independent monitor and a pledge to roll back DEI programs that critics say foster discrimination and hostility toward Jewish students.

“The Trump Administration’s proposition is simple and commonsense: Don’t allow antisemitism and DEI to run your campus, don’t break the law, and protect the civil liberties of all students,” said White House spokesman Harrison W. Fields.

President Trump has been unrelenting in his criticism of Harvard, calling the school “anti-Semitic,” “far-left,” and “a threat to democracy.” According to the Times, Trump has insisted Harvard pay more than Columbia, citing Harvard’s staggering $53 billion endowment as proof the school can afford to make things right.

Trump recently praised Harvard’s negotiators for “acting extremely appropriately during these negotiations” and suggested that an agreement is within reach. “They appear to be committed to doing what is right,” Trump said in a June social media post.

Harvard has fought back against the administration’s funding cuts, filing lawsuits that claim the federal government is infringing on its First Amendment rights. “No government regardless of which party is in power should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue,” Harvard President Alan M. Garber stated.

University officials have also voiced concerns over the precedent set by Columbia’s settlement, particularly the use of an “outside monitor” to review academic programs. Harvard leaders argue such oversight could threaten academic freedom, even as the school faces growing scrutiny for failing to protect Jewish students from campus hostility.

A Broader Campus Reckoning

Columbia’s settlement with the Trump administration required the university to:

• Conduct a thorough review of Middle East studies programs and faculty.

• Establish new measures to support Jewish students and combat antisemitic harassment.

• End DEI policies accused of marginalizing certain student groups.

The Trump administration is reportedly using this framework as a model for other universities, with Harvard next in line.

Harvard’s legal battles and potential $500 million payout mark a pivotal moment in Trump’s push to dismantle left-wing dominance on America’s campuses. With widespread concerns about antisemitism and ideological indoctrination in higher education, Trump’s crackdown is finding strong support among conservative voters and Jewish advocacy groups.

“Harvard wants to settle, but I think Columbia handled it better,” Trump told reporters Friday, signaling that he expects a tougher deal for the Ivy League giant.

Share this article or subscribe to our newsletter for more updates on Trump’s fight to restore fairness and accountability in higher education.