Trump's New Attacks on Harvard

The Trump administration has launched a new investigation against Harvard University. The university is now suspected of providing financial aid to foreign students on unfair terms: donations came from China, putting American students at a disadvantage.

The Essence of the Claim

The U.S. Department of Justice believes that Harvard received funds from donors in/connected with China — and spent them on material support for students of a certain nationality (it is not hard to guess which one). Under U.S. law, a university may accept both government budget funds and private donations (including foreign ones) only if the use of those funds does not harm (does not discriminate against) U.S. citizens in the distribution of financial aid. In this case, the Department believes, certain country-based preferences were established in the distribution of scholarships.

Harvard rejects the claims and is prepared to cooperate with federal authorities to clarify the situation.

What is notable: in order to actually examine all the issues, the Department of Justice is demanding a complete package of documents related to donations from organizations and individuals connected with China from Harvard's administration. If the university fails to comply, it is threatened with a suspension of funding.

• Harvard receives the most federal funding of all universities — approximately $4.5 billion,
• At the same time, the volume of foreign donations is also nearly record-breaking: the inflow of funds from China is one of the most significant, already exceeding $630 million.

The Conflict Between Harvard and Trump Has Escalated Again

This is far from the first stage of the confrontation between the current presidential administration and the renowned university. There have already been legal proceedings, funding restrictions, accusations of antisemitism, and suspicions of industrial espionage by Chinese nationals…

The Chinese Embassy in Washington emphasizes that political tensions should not become an obstacle to educational and cultural cooperation.