Harvard president rejects 'partisan' label in letter to Sec. McMahon amid clash with Trump admin

In the latest installment of Harvard University’s ongoing conflict with the Trump administration, President Alan Garber is claiming that both the school and the federal government have “common ground,” despite the administration’s “overreach” against the institution.

Garber’s latest remarks arrive after Education Secretary Linda McMahon’s recent declaration that Harvard would not receive any new federal grants.

In a letter addressed to McMahon on Monday, Garber asserted that, despite national concerns, the university actually encourages open thought and expression. 

Yet, according to the university president, the Trump administration is standing in the way of Harvard’s progress. 

“Harvard’s efforts to achieve these goals are undermined and threatened by the federal government’s overreach into the constitutional freedoms of private universities and its continuing disregard of Harvard’s compliance with the law,” Garber wrote. 

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Garber also rejected the claim that his university is a “partisan institution,” stating: ”It is neither Republican nor Democratic. It is not an arm of any other political party or movement. Nor will it ever be.”

The Harvard president’s letter was a direct response to a May 5 letter sent to him by McMahon—who notified the institution that it will not be receiving any new federal grants due to the fact that it has repeatedly flouted compliance with federal law. 

“Harvard University has made a mockery of this country’s higher education system,” McMahon wrote simply. “In every way, Harvard has failed to abide by its legal obligations, its ethical and fiduciary duties, its transparency responsibilities, and any semblance of academic rigor.”

McMahon also blasted the institution for its past plagiarism controversies, which she described as “humiliating.” She then highlighted Harvard’s continued race-based admissions practices. 

Garber contested many of McMahon’s points in his response letter by writing that Harvard has worked hard to “uphold the highest standards of academic excellence” by combating anti-Semitism and all forms of racial discrimination on its campus. 

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His letter is the most recent stage in a months-long feud between the university and the federal government; the saga stretches all the way back to January with the installment of the new Trump administration. 

On Jan. 21, Harvard settled two lawsuits with Jewish plaintiffs who argued that the school had allowed anti-Semitism to go unchecked. 

On Jan. 28, The Harvard Crimson reported that the Harvard Management Company reinvested $150 million in Booking Holdings Inc., a company that is reportedly criticized for its affiliation with Israel. The move was part of a larger trend of universities ignoring the cries of anti-Israel activists. 

The Trump administration sent a letter to Harvard on April 11 warning that the institution must dismantle anti-Semitic student groups and adopt merit-based hiring practices. 

Harvard responded three days later by refusing to comply with the Department of Education’s demands. 

On April 16, the Trump administration froze $2.2 billion in federal funding for Harvard due to the school’s failure to foster a safe learning environment for Jewish students, and for upholding DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) initiatives. On April 21, Harvard sued the Trump administration in response to the funding freeze. 

President Trump also issued a stern warning in early May that Harvard might also have its tax-exempt status terminated for allowing rampant anti-Semitism to go unchecked—a statement that provoked a spokesperson for Harvard to claim that such a move would be illegal and hurt the school’s mission. 

Amid Harvard’s ongoing battle with allegations of campus anti-Semitism, recent data shows that the school accepted $1.6 million from the Palestinian Territories between 2017-2019. 

Campus Reform reached out to Harvard University for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.