Trump administration sues Harvard over admissions data, demands to see it
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Mr Trump’s Justice Department is investigating whether any US schools are discriminating against white applicants.
PHOTO: REUTERS
- The US Justice Department sued Harvard for student admissions data, investigating potential racial discrimination against white applicants, despite not directly accusing Harvard.
- Donald Trump demanded US$1 billion from Harvard for inadequate protection of Jewish students during protests, leading the Pentagon to cut academic ties.
- These actions are part of the Trump administration's long-running battle with Harvard, including past attempts to cut US$2.6 billion in federal funding.
AI generated
WASHINGTON -The US Justice Department sued Harvard on Feb 13 demanding its student admissions data, in the Trump administration’s latest salvo in its long-running battle with the elite university.
“Harvard has failed to disclose the data we need to ensure that its admissions are free of discrimination,” Attorney-General Pam Bondi said in a statement.
In a 2023 ruling, the Supreme Court barred consideration of race in college admissions and Mr Trump’s Justice Department is investigating whether any US schools are discriminating against white applicants.
The Justice Department said the lawsuit “seeks only to compel Harvard to produce documents related to any consideration of race in admissions and does not accuse Harvard of racial discrimination.”
“If Harvard has stopped discriminating, it should happily share the data necessary to prove it,” Assistant Attorney-General Harmeet Dhillon said.
US President Donald Trump recently demanded that Harvard pay US$1 billion (S$1.26 billion) in damages
“We are now seeking One Billion Dollars in damages, and want nothing further to do, into the future, with Harvard University,” Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Just days later, the Pentagon cut all academic ties with Harvard.
Mr Trump has previously sought to cut more than US$2.6 billion of federal funding to Harvard, and has moved to block entry of international students – a quarter of its student body.
Those moves have largely been temporarily blocked by the courts.
