Settlement discussions between the Trump administration and Harvard University have slowed significantly, The New York Times reported Saturday, leaving unresolved a framework that would have restored billions in federal research funding in exchange for concessions from the university.
The White House has not issued new demands in recent weeks, the report said, but the steady back-and-forth that characterized earlier negotiations has tapered amid an emerging split among senior aides. Some officials are eager to deliver President Donald Trump a political victory by announcing a deal; others contend the current framework is too favorable to Harvard and are pushing for stricter terms, including the appointment of an independent monitor to ensure compliance — a proposal Harvard has consistently opposed.
The negotiations follow the administration’s earlier move to freeze roughly $2.2 billion in federal research funding to Harvard and to threaten revocation of the university’s tax-exempt status amid allegations that the school failed to address antisemitism on campus. On May 13, the Department of Education’s Task Force to Combat Antisemitism announced cuts to about $450 million in grants, saying Harvard had "repeatedly failed to confront the pervasive race discrimination and antisemitic harassment plaguing its campus" in the months after the Hamas terrorist attacks on Oct. 7, 2023.
Harvard successfully challenged the funding freeze in federal court. Judge Allison D. Burroughs issued a sharply worded ruling this week, accusing the administration of weaponizing concerns about antisemitism as a pretext for what she called an "ideologically motivated assault" on the university.
Negotiators came close to an agreement last month on a framework that would have required Harvard to spend $500 million on workforce programs in exchange for the restoration of the frozen funds. The New York Times reported that the talks were also affected by the recent departure of May Mailman, a White House senior policy strategist who had played a central role in orchestrating pressure on several Ivy League institutions.
The Times reported that some officials have sought additional concessions beyond the $500 million commitment. That push has alarmed aides who fear further demands could overshadow the $500 million term, which remains a high priority for the president. The newspaper quoted a White House official saying discussions were ongoing among Trump and his advisors over a settlement that would "change the course of higher education in this country."
Neither Harvard nor the White House immediately commented to The Times on the status of the negotiations. Harvard declined to comment when contacted, and White House representatives did not detail new proposals publicly.
The dispute sits at the intersection of federal oversight, campus free-speech and antisemitism concerns, and political dynamics within the White House. Administration officials have signaled they consider the matter part of a broader effort to scrutinize higher education institutions, while university leaders and some judges have pushed back on what they describe as politically motivated enforcement actions.
With negotiations paused, the future of the frozen funds and the terms under which they might be restored remain uncertain. Officials familiar with the talks told The New York Times that discussions have not ended, but offered no timetable for a resolution.