Trump proposes diverting $3bn in Harvard grants to US trade schools

US President Donald Trump announced Monday on Truth Social that he is considering redirecting $3 billion in federal research grants previously awarded to Harvard University toward U.S. trade schools. The move marks the latest escalation in his ongoing feud with the Ivy League institution.

Trump, a Republican, has recently frozen billions in federal funds intended for Harvard, criticizing the university for what he described as hiring “Radical Left idiots and ‘bird brains.’” He claimed the reallocation would better serve national interests by strengthening vocational education. However, legal and procedural barriers to such a reallocation remain unclear.

The targeted funds largely originate from congressional appropriations distributed by agencies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support biomedical and scientific research — research typically not conducted at trade schools. Harvard has filed a lawsuit to restore the grants, calling the funding cuts an unconstitutional retaliation against the school’s academic freedom and speech.

In early May, Harvard reported receiving letters from various federal agencies — including the NIH, Department of Energy, and Department of Defense — stating that its grants were being suspended for no longer serving “agency priorities.” Harvard has not commented publicly on Trump’s latest remarks.

The administration’s actions against Harvard extend beyond grant funding. Last week, a federal judge temporarily blocked a policy that would have barred Harvard from enrolling foreign students, after the university alleged the measure was political retribution. Harvard warned the policy would have forced thousands of international students to leave or transfer, affecting more than 7,000 visa holders and causing significant academic and financial disruption.

Harvard, where international students account for roughly 27% of the student body, has also come under scrutiny from Trump’s administration in other areas. Recent proposals have included revoking the university’s tax-exempt status, increasing taxes on its multibillion-dollar endowment, and launching a civil rights investigation into alleged discrimination against certain demographic groups.

The growing tension underscores Trump’s broader campaign to challenge elite academic institutions, which he and other conservatives accuse of harboring liberal bias. Harvard has maintained that its admissions, hiring, and research practices comply fully with federal law.