Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism Statement on Additional Harvard Actions

Today, the Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism released the following statement:

Harvard University has repeatedly failed to confront the pervasive race discrimination and anti-Semitic harassment plaguing its campus. This is just the latest chapter in Harvard’s long-standing policy and practice of discriminating on the basis of race as recognized by the Supreme Court in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, where the Court rebuked Harvard for its unlawful race discrimination in admissions. That shameful legacy has continued on as recognized by Harvard’s own Presidential Task Force on Combating Antisemitism and Anti-Israeli Bias, which lays bare an appalling reality: Jewish students were subjected to pervasive insults, physical assault, and intimidation, with no meaningful response from Harvard’s leadership. Recent reporting has exposed the Harvard Law Review’s (HLR) pattern of endemic race discrimination when evaluating articles for inclusion in its journal. Even more troubling, the HLR awarded a $65,000 fellowship–meant to “serve the public interest”--to a protester who faced criminal charges for assaulting a Jewish student on campus. The decision was reviewed and approved by a faculty committee, demonstrating just how radical Harvard has become.

Harvard’s campus, once a symbol of academic prestige, has become a breeding ground for virtue signaling and discrimination. This is not leadership; it is cowardice. And it’s not academic freedom; it’s institutional disenfranchisement. There is a dark problem on Harvard’s campus, and by prioritizing appeasement over accountability, institutional leaders have forfeited the school's claim to taxpayer support. As a result, eight federal agencies across the government are announcing the termination of approximately $450 million in grants to Harvard, which is in addition to the $2.2 billion that was terminated last week.

The Task Force fully supports the Trump Administration’s multi-agency move to cut funding to Harvard, demonstrating the entire Administration’s commitment to eradicating discrimination on Harvard’s campus. As we have made clear time and again, this Task Force will not waver in its mission to root out discrimination, hate and bigotry at institutions entrusted with public funds. Harvard, and its leadership group who are tainted by the egregious infractions under its watch, faces a steep, uphill battle to reclaim its legacy as a lawful institution and center of academic excellence.

Josh Gruenbaum
Comm’r of the Fed. Acquisition Serv.
General Services Administration

Sean R. Keveney
Acting General Counsel
U.S. Dept. Health & Human Servs.

Thomas E. Wheeler
Acting General Counsel
U.S. Dept. of Education