The Trump administration has escalated its confrontation with Harvard University, warning that the elite institution could lose its accreditation over allegations related to foreign student programs and antisemitism on campus.
In a joint statement released Tuesday, the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services said they had notified Harvard’s accrediting agency that the university had potentially violated federal law by failing to address claims of harassment against Jewish students. Losing accreditation could have severe consequences, including making Harvard students ineligible for federal financial aid.
Taking to X, DHS said that it tried “to do things the easy way with Harvard”, but it refused to cooperate. Now, “we have to do things the hard way,” it added.
“If Harvard won’t defend the interests of its students, then we will,” DHS said in a post on X.
The Department of Homeland Security announced plans to issue administrative subpoenas to Harvard, accusing the university of refusing to provide information about its student visitor and exchange program certification.
“We tried to do things the easy way with Harvard. Now, through their refusal to cooperate, we have to do things the hard way,” said assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin in the statement.
The move is the latest in a series of aggressive actions by the Trump administration aimed at elite universities, which officials accuse of fostering leftist ideologies and failing to protect Jewish students amid rising campus tensions.
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Harvard officials have not yet responded publicly to the new developments.