Trump administration sues Harvard, accusing it of not cooperating on admissions probe

Justice Department alleges school ‘refused to produce pertinent data and documents,’ while university says it’s being targeted for ‘refusing to surrender its independence’

By Reuters 14 February 2026, 4:14 am

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The Harvard University logo is displayed on a metal gate leading to Harvard Yard at Harvard University, September 30, 2025, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

The Trump administration sued Harvard University on Friday, accusing it of failing to comply with a federal investigation and seeking documents to determine whether the university had illegally considered race in its admissions process.

The move comes less than two weeks after US President Donald Trump said his administration was seeking $1 billion from Harvard to settle probes into school policies, after a news report that said Trump had dropped his demand for a payment from the Ivy League school.

A Harvard spokesperson said the university is committed to following the law and has been responding to the government’s inquiries in good faith.

“The university will continue to defend itself against these retaliatory actions which have been initiated simply because Harvard refused to surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights in response to unlawful government overreach,” the spokesperson said.

Trump’s administration has been threatening to withhold federal funds from Harvard and several other universities over issues including pro-Palestinian protests against Israel since the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack that triggered the Gaza war, campus diversity and transgender policies.

The Justice Department said on Friday in a press release that Harvard had “repeatedly slow-walked the pace of production and refused to produce pertinent data and documents,” including admissions policies and correspondence related to banned diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

Graduates wave Palestinian flags during commencement ceremonies at Harvard University, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on May 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

In the complaint filed in Boston federal court, Justice Department lawyers said the documents requested will help assess whether Harvard is complying with a 2023 decision by the US Supreme Court which said that race-conscious college admissions programs are unconstitutional.

The Justice Department said it brought the lawsuit “solely to compel Harvard to produce documents relating to any consideration of race in admission” and “does not accuse Harvard of any discriminatory conduct, nor does it seek monetary damages or the revocation of federal funding.”

Harvard banners hang in front of Widener Library during the 374th Harvard Commencement in Harvard Yard in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on May 29, 2025. (Rick Friedman / AFP)

The administration last year attempted to cancel hundreds of grants awarded to Harvard researchers on the grounds the school failed to do enough to address harassment of Jewish students on its campus, prompting Harvard to sue.

Trump’s attempts to freeze federal funds for Harvard have faced legal resistance and the two sides have failed to reach a deal thus far.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.