The White House on Tuesday asked federal agencies to cancel all remaining contracts with Harvard University, worth about $100 million.
The decision, confirmed to CNN by two senior Trump administration officials, comes after Harvard refused to bow to White House demands on its internal policies.
“ We recommend that your agency terminate any contract it determines has not met its standards,” said a Tuesday letter to procurement executives from General Services Administration official Josh Gruenbaum, who also signed a letter to Harvard in April with a series of demands on governance and curriculum, which the school rejected.
The New York Times first reported the latest planned cuts, which come in addition to $2.65 billion in federal cuts to Harvard. The White House announced nearly two months ago that it was reviewing about $9 billion in contracts and grant commitments that the government had pledged to pay Harvard over several years.
Tuesday's letter reiterates a host of complaints against Harvard, including allegations that the university " continues to engage in racial discrimination " in its admissions process - the subject of a landmark Supreme Court ruling - and shows a " lack of concern for the safety and well-being of Jewish students ."
CNN has reached out to lawyers for Harvard, which in recent weeks has borne the brunt of the White House's anger against educational institutions it believes embody a smart liberal front.
The Boston-area university has largely rejected many government demands, including handing over all records of foreign student behavior and allowing audits to confirm it has expanded “diversity of viewpoints.” But officials say they are complying with a Supreme Court order striking down affirmative action and have taken steps to address anti-Semitism on campus.
“ I don’t know exactly what the motives are, but I do know that there are people who are fighting a culture battle ,” Harvard President Alan Garber told NPR in an interview recorded and broadcast before the new cuts were announced Tuesday. “ I don’t know if that’s what’s driving the administration ,” Garber said.
The U.S. Department of Education has warned American colleges and universities of potential consequences if they do not take appropriate steps to protect Jewish students and, separately, has threatened to withhold federal funding from any American academic institution that considers race in most aspects of student life.
Harvard has been heavily criticized on both fronts. The nation's oldest and wealthiest university sued the Trump administration last month for freezing $2.2 billion in federal grants and contracts, followed by the suspension of another $450 million. (A2 Televizion)
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