Harvard wins court battle as federal judge overturns Trump’s $2.6 billion research funding cuts

In a major legal victory for Harvard University, a federal judge on Wednesday ordered the Trump administration to reverse billions of dollars in frozen federal research funding, ruling that the cuts were politically motivated and violated constitutional protections.The decision, issued by U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs in Boston, restores more than $2.6 billion in federal research grants and contracts that the administration had suspended earlier this year. The judge found that the government’s justification—claiming Harvard had failed to address antisemitism on campus—was a “pretext for unlawful retaliation” against the institution.

A high-stakes legal battle

The conflict began in April 2025, when the administration froze $2.2 billion in ongoing research grants and $60 million in contracts, halting Harvard’s access to one of its largest sources of external funding.

The White House also threatened to strip the university of its tax-exempt status and its certification to host international students.Harvard filed suit in May, arguing that the actions were politically driven and endangered vital research. The university pointed to disruptions in projects on Alzheimer’s disease, opioid addiction, mental health, and dementia, where scientists were forced to lay off staff and delay experiments.

In response, Harvard President Alan Garber announced the university would divert $250 million from its endowment to sustain essential research and even took a voluntary 25% salary cut. Still, faculty and administrators warned that the freeze was unsustainable and risked irreparable damage to U.S. scientific leadership.

The Judge’s ruling

In her 85-page opinion, Judge Burroughs said the administration’s actions violated the First Amendment, the Administrative Procedure Act, and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.

She concluded that there was no legitimate legal basis to link Harvard’s federal funding to allegations of campus antisemitism, which she said were used as a cover for punitive political measures.“The federal government cannot wield billions of dollars in research funding as a weapon to coerce ideological conformity,” Burroughs wrote, as reported by the Associated Press.

What comes next

The Trump administration immediately signaled plans to appeal the ruling, setting up a prolonged legal fight that could determine not only Harvard’s financial future but also the limits of presidential power over federally funded research.For now, the decision is being hailed as a victory for academic freedom. “This ruling reaffirms the principle that universities must remain independent centers of knowledge, free from political interference,” Harvard said in a statement late Wednesday, according to the AP.

Broader implications

The case has drawn intense national attention because of its potential ripple effects across higher education. Other universities, including MIT, Stanford, and Yale, have been watching closely, fearing they too could face funding threats if they resist federal mandates.Beyond academia, the ruling could reshape debates about the balance between government oversight and university autonomy, as well as the use of federal funding as leverage in political disputes.While Harvard celebrates a legal win, the uncertainty of appeals means the timing and full restoration of funds remain unclear. For researchers and students whose projects have been stalled for months, the hope is that relief arrives sooner rather than later.