Trump says he wants nothing less than $500m' from Harvard as feud continues

Donald Trump demanded $500m from Harvard as a condition to restore billions in federal research funding. He instructed Education Secretary Linda McMahon not to negotiate, calling Harvard 'very bad.' Harvard sued the administration after $2.6bn in research funding was cut, alleging unlawful retaliation for refusal to comply with demands from a federal antisemitism task force regarding protests, policies, and admissions. The Department of Justice contends the government can cancel grants when institutions violate presidential directives and cited an executive order on combating antisemitism. The New York Times and Associated Press reported substantial progress toward a deal in which Harvard would pay $500m, but key terms remain unresolved and negotiations continue. Harvard president Alan Garber has disputed the Times report.

Donald Trump said on Tuesday that his administration wants nothing less than $500m from Harvard as a condition for restoring billions of dollars in federal funding to the Ivy League university. Don't negotiate with them, they've been very bad, Trump told his education secretary, Linda McMahon, in a cabinet meeting. Trump's comments came amid reports that his administration and Harvard are moving toward a potential settlement that could bring an end to their months-long

In April, Harvard became the first and so far only university to sue the Trump administration over the funding cuts. It sued again the following month over the government's efforts to block the school from enrolling international students. The university has argued that the administration unlawfully slashed $2.6bn in research funding from the university in retaliation for the school's refusal to comply with a series of demands laid out in an 11 April letter from a federal antisemitism task force.

The Department of Justice has argued that the federal government has the authority to cancel grants when institutions violate presidential directives, and have cited Trump's executive order purporting to combat antisemitism. The New York Times and the Associated Press have both reported that Harvard and the White House had made substantial progress toward a deal. Under the proposed agreement, according to the Times, Harvard would pay $500m in exchange for the restoration of billions in frozen federal research funds.

Read at www.theguardian.com