Timeline: Trump administration's actions against Harvard University
Harvard says Trump is waging a “campaign of retaliation” against the school.
A judge has set a Thursday hearing to address the Trump administration’s attempt to revoke Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students — the latest salvo in what Harvard calls the administration’s “escalating campaign of retaliation” against the school.
Here is a timeline of what Harvard administrators say are the Trump administration’s efforts to tighten the screws on the university.
April 11, 2025
The Trump administration sends a letter to Harvard’s president saying that the school has “failed to live up to both the intellectual and civil rights conditions that justify federal investment” and demanding that the university change its governance, adopt merit-based hiring, shutter any DEI programs and allow “audits” to ensure “viewpoint diversity.”
April 14, 2025
After Harvard refuses to comply with the Trump administration’s demands, the administration responds by freezing more than $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts to the school.
April 15, 2025
Trump posts on Truth Social that “Harvard should lose its Tax-Exempt Status.”
April 16, 2025
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem sends a letter to Harvard demanding information on every international student with an F1 visa, warning that failing to comply with the request will result in the withdrawal of the school’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification.
DHS also cancels two grants to Harvard totaling $2.7 million.
April 21, 2025
Harvard files a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the funding freeze.
April 30, 2025
Harvard says it has given DHS “thousands of data points concerning its entire F-1 visa student population.”
May 5, 2025
U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon says that Harvard will no longer receive any grants from the federal government.
May 6, 2025
Harvard says it has begun to receive grant termination notices from the federal government, including from the National Institutes of Health.
May 7, 2025
DHS tells Harvard that the school’s initial production of information on its international students is insufficient, and asks for more details. Harvard redoes its search and produces more information for DHS.
May 9, 2025
The U.S. Department of Agriculture terminates its grants with Harvard.
May 12, 2025
The U.S. Department of Energy, the Department of Defense, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development all cancel their grants with Harvard.
May 13, 2025
Harvard amends its lawsuit against the Trump administration to cover additional funding cuts. A hearing in the case is set for July.
May 22, 2025
Noem says she has ordered the cancellation of Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification, which would bar the school from enrolling foreign students.
May 23, 2025
Harvard sues the Trump administration over its attempt to cancel its Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification, and U.S. District Judge Allison Dale Burroughs grants a temporary order blocking the move.
May 26, 2025
Trump, in a social media post, demands a list of the names of international students enrolled at Harvard.
May 27, 2025
The Trump administration asks federal agencies to “identify any contracts with Harvard, and whether they can be canceled or redirected elsewhere,” according to a senior administration official.
The development comes as Judge Burroughs sets a May 29 hearing to consider extending his order barring the Trump administration from revoking the Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification.