The Trump administration has appealed a federal court ruling that ordered the restoration of billions of dollars in funding previously cut from Harvard University over allegations of antisemitism and liberal bias.
In a brief filing late Thursday, government lawyers informed the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit of their decision to challenge the September ruling by a Boston federal judge, who held that the funding freeze was largely unlawful and directed that the funds be reinstated. No date has yet been fixed for the hearing of the appeal.
Harvard has been a central target of former President Donald Trump’s broader campaign against elite US universities, following its refusal to comply with administration demands for federal oversight of its curriculum, staffing, student admissions and what officials described as “viewpoint diversity.” The funding cuts affected the university and several of its affiliated colleges, disrupting major research projects, including work in medicine and advanced technology.
Beyond the funding dispute, the administration has also taken steps aimed at restricting Harvard’s access to international students. These include efforts to remove the university from a federal student immigration registry and directives to US embassies to deny visas to prospective foreign students. Harvard has challenged those actions in court, arguing that they are illegal and unconstitutional, with judges placing the measures on hold pending further proceedings.
International students make up a significant portion of Harvard’s population, accounting for about 27 per cent of total enrolment in the 2024–2025 academic year, and represent a major source of revenue for the institution.
The appeal marks the latest escalation in a legal and political battle that has positioned Harvard as a symbol of resistance to the Trump administration’s approach to higher education.
