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Trump releases list of demands for Harvard

The administration's antisemitism task force outlined how the school can avoid cancellation of billions in funding.

Students on the Harvard University campus in Cambridge. Mel Musto, Bloomberg

April 4, 2025

2 minutes to read

On Thursday, the Trump administration’s antisemitism task force sent a letter to Harvard University outlining a list of demands the school must meet to avoid cancelation of billions of dollars in federal funding.

The demands come days after the Trump administration said it would review $9 billion of federal grants and contracts committed to Harvard and its affiliates.

The letter to Harvard does not provide a timeline for when the school must comply with the list of demands.

However, the administration expects “immediate cooperation in implementing these critical reforms that will enable Harvard to return to its original mission of providing a high-quality education in a safe environment for all students.”

In response to the investigation, Harvard banned activities by a pro-Palestinian student group on Wednesday.

Dozens of other universities have also been put on notice over allegations of antisemitism and DEI initiatives and could face similar treatment.

Here is the list of demands exactly as outlined in the letter:

Transparency and reporting to ED, DHS, and other federal regulators. Harvard must comply fully with existing statutory reporting requirements under Section 117 of the Higher Education Act, commit to full cooperation with DHS and other federal regulators, and make organizational changes as necessary to enable full compliance.

Oversight and accountability for biased programs that fuel antisemitism. Programs and departments that fuel antisemitic harassment must be reviewed and necessary changes made to address bias, improve viewpoint diversity, and end ideological capture.

Disciplinary reform and consistent accountability. Harvard has an obligation to consistently and proactively enforce its existing disciplinary policies, ensuring that senior administrative leaders are responsible for final decisions. Reforms must include a comprehensive mask ban (with medical and religious exemptions, given identification is always displayed) and a clarified time, place, and manner policy. Harvard must review and report on disciplinary actions for antisemitic rule violations since October 7, 2023.

Student group accountability. Recognized and unrecognized student groups, and their leadership, must be held accountable for violations of Harvard policy.

Governance and leadership reforms. Harvard must make meaningful governance reforms to improve its organizational structure to foster clear lines of authority and accountability, and to empower faculty and administrative leaders who are committed to implementing the changes indicated in this letter.

Merit-based admissions reform. Harvard must adopt and implement merit-based admissions policies; cease all preferences based on race, color, or national origin in admissions throughout its undergraduate, graduate, and other programs; and demonstrate through structural and personnel action that these changes are durable.

Merit-based hiring reform. Harvard must adopt and implement merit-based hiring policies; cease all preferences based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in hiring throughout its teaching and research faculty, staff, and leadership; and demonstrate through structural and personnel action that these changes are durable.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. DEI programs teach students, faculty, staff, and leadership to make snap judgments about each other based on crude race and identity stereotypes, which fuels division and hatred based on race, color, national origin, and other protected identity characteristics. All efforts should be made to shutter such programs.