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Harvard University is negotiating with the Trump administration over a potential $500 million settlement to resolve allegations related to campus antisemitism and civil rights violations, according to a report published Monday by The New York Times.
The proposed amount would more than double the $221 million settlement reached last week between the administration and Columbia University. Of that total, $200 million from Columbia will be directed to the U.S. Treasury, with the remainder pending allocation by the White House.
Although discussions are ongoing, Harvard has reportedly resisted making a direct payment of hundreds of millions to the federal government. The Ivy League school is seeking a resolution that would avoid further consequences under the Trump administration.
President Donald Trump has publicly criticized Harvard over its handling of antisemitism on campus, its perceived failure to protect Jewish students, and its continued commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. He has called on the university to face a steeper penalty than Columbia as a result.
“The Trump administration’s proposition is simple and commonsense: Don’t allow antisemitism and DEI to run your campus, don’t break the law, and protect the civil liberties of all students,” White House spokesperson Harrison Fields said last week.
Federal action against Harvard began with the cancellation of hundreds of research grants, citing the university’s insufficient response to harassment of Jewish students. Since then, the administration has escalated pressure by seeking to bar international students from attending, threatening the school’s accreditation and initiating reviews that could result in additional funding cuts.
The Times reports that Harvard is aiming to reach a deal to prevent further setbacks before the end of Trump’s term.
Fields told the Times, “We’re confident that Harvard will eventually come around and support the president’s vision, and through good-faith conversations and negotiations, a good deal is more than possible.”
The administration has pointed to its deal with Columbia as a model for other universities accused of similar violations. The settlement allowed Columbia to avoid admitting fault in the ongoing controversy over antisemitism and the treatment of Jewish students.
