Settlement talks between the Trump administration and Harvard University have stalled as the administration presses to withhold billions in federal funding over what it says is the university’s tolerance of antisemitism, according to reporting by Fox News.
A federal judge criticized the White House’s actions in the dispute, calling them an "ideologically motivated assault" on the university, the report said. The comments came amid negotiations about whether to cut or condition federal research and student-aid dollars tied to the school.
The administration’s effort to freeze funds is part of a broader push by federal officials to hold institutions accountable for antisemitic incidents on campuses, a focus that has intensified since the Israel-Hamas war began in October. Harvard officials have disputed allegations that they tolerate antisemitism, and legal filings and court comments have become central to the dispute over whether the federal government can lawfully withhold institutional support.
The fallout has extended beyond the university and the Justice Department, touching diplomatic and humanitarian arenas. In Gaza-related developments, the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said it had delivered its 155 millionth meal to Gazans, while facing criticism from Doctors Without Borders. An advertisement from the medical aid group, also known by its French acronym MSF, accused the foundation of an "orchestrated killing," a charge the foundation rejected.
"They know better. By repeating these lies, they’re not aiding civilians, they’re aiding Hamas," Gaza Humanitarian Foundation spokesperson Chapin Fay said in response to MSF's ads, as cited in the reporting. The dispute between NGOs marks a rare and public rift among groups involved in relief efforts for Gaza.
President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that Princeton University doctoral student Elizabeth Tsurkov had been released by Kata'ib Hezbollah and was safe at the U.S. Embassy in Iraq. Tsurkov, a dual Russian-Israeli citizen, had been detained for two years, according to the announcement. Kata'ib Hezbollah is an Iran-backed group designated by the U.S. as a terrorist organization. The president posted the news on his Truth Social account.
International tensions and public demonstrations have also heightened scrutiny of political leaders' responses to antisemitism. In Britain, the governing Labour Party of Prime Minister Keir Starmer faced criticism for its response to a march attended by an estimated 70,000 people protesting antisemitism and violence against Jews. The Campaign Against Antisemitism warned that "British Jews are facing the worst antisemitism we have ever recorded" and said the government’s absence from the event left questions about its willingness to confront rising hatred.
Former Israeli prime minister Yair Lapid wrote in a guest editorial that the United Nations is "hopelessly hypocritical and plagued by antisemitism," and urged democracies to take stronger collective action. Separately, Israel’s military said it "conducted a precise strike" targeting senior Hamas leaders in Doha, Qatar, though independent confirmation of the claim was not provided in the reporting.
The stalled talks between the White House and Harvard come as universities, governments and humanitarian organizations grapple with how to respond to a marked surge in antisemitic incidents globally since the Israel-Hamas war began. Legal battles over federal funding and public disputes among aid groups underscore the complex and often contentious interplay between free-speech protections, campus governance and accountability for hate-related conduct.
As the administration weighs its next steps, stakeholders on all sides say the episode highlights the challenge of balancing enforcement of federal rules with constitutional and institutional protections that govern higher education and civil society.
