### Harvard Battles Trump Administration Over Abrupt Research Funding Cuts

Harvard University has accused the Trump administration of freezing more than $2 billion in federal research funding, citing violations of federal law and national security concerns, according to recent court filings. A Defense Department official had warned that terminating a $12 million grant for biological threat research could jeopardize national security.

These revelations are part of a trove of internal documents from the Trump administration, reviewed by Harvard's legal team. According to the filings, the White House ordered the freeze, affecting over 950 ongoing research projects valued at $2.4 billion. Among the impacted studies are an $88 million pediatric HIV/AIDS research project, a $7 million breast cancer prevention initiative, and a $10 million investigation into combatting antibiotic-resistant infections.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) official underscored the critical role of Harvard in monitoring emergency biological threats, stating that inadequate knowledge in this area poses grave national security risks. Despite these warnings, the grant was canceled in mid-May.

John Shaw, Harvard’s vice provost for research, highlighted the irreversible damage these funding cuts would inflict on scientific labs. Shaw noted that sensitive equipment could degrade, perishable samples might spoil, and live specimens could be euthanized, rendering years of work worthless. He also emphasized that despite its vast endowment, Harvard is incapable of covering these funding gaps.

The court filings suggest that the freeze was a punitive measure initiated by the Trump administration, allegedly to retaliate against Harvard for exercising its First Amendment rights. Internal documents indicate that the White House dictated the termination of research funds, leaving federal agencies with little time to consider the consequences or explore alternatives.

Harvard’s attorneys argue that the administration’s actions were rushed and lacked evidence to support accusations of antisemitism at the university. They claim that the funding cuts were imposed to inflict maximum punishment on Harvard, rather than as a result of a careful assessment of the university’s activities.

Further court filings are expected over the next month, with oral arguments scheduled for July 21. Harvard maintains that the hasty funding terminations not only violated federal protocols but also undermined critical research vital to public and national security.