US court rejects Trump administration case accusing Harvard of antisemitism
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "US court rejects Trump administration case accusing Harvard of antisemitism")
Harvard banners hang in front of Widener Library during the 374th Harvard Commencement in Harvard Yard in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Photograph: (AFP)
A US federal court has dismissed the Trump administration's lawsuit against Harvard University, ruling that the government failed to prove the university violated civil rights laws over alleged antisemitism during pro-Palestinian campus protests.
A US federal court on Thursday (August 13) dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Trump administration against Harvard University over allegations of antisemitism during pro-Palestinian protests on campus.
District Judge Richard Stearns in Boston ruled that the administration had failed to sufficiently establish that Harvard violated a provision of the Civil Rights Act that prohibits discrimination based on race, nationality and other factors.
Court rejects Trump administration’s case
The administration's complaint largely focused on several incidents allegedly reported in March 2025. Stearns said the incidents were “too isolated and episodic” to establish an ongoing violation of civil rights by Harvard.
The ruling comes after President Donald Trump launched a campaign against major American universities during his second term. His administration accused universities of allowing pro-Palestinian movements to operate freely on campuses amid the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip.
The Department of Justice filed its complaint in March, accusing Harvard's faculty and leadership of failing to address antisemitism and discrimination against Jews and Israelis.
Trending Stories
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
"Harvard let anti-Israeli demonstrators occupy its libraries. Harvard allowed an anti-Israeli encampment to persist for twenty days in violation of university policy," the department said.
Harvard also challenged funding freeze
The Trump administration had earlier moved to block more than $2.2 billion in federal research grants for Harvard. The administration cited concerns over campus protests and compliance with Title VI rules related to antisemitism.
Harvard challenged the funding freeze in federal court, arguing that the move was an unconstitutional attempt to impose political and ideological control over academic freedom and the university's internal governance.
US District Judge Allison D. Burroughs later quashed the funding freeze.
