Court Restores Frozen Awards
A federal judge in Massachusetts has struck down the Trump administration’s effort to cancel over $2.2 billion in research funding for Harvard University. Judge Allison Burroughs issued the ruling on September 3, ordering that the grants be reinstated and prohibiting officials from halting them again. The money, withheld since spring, supports extensive work in health, technology, and scientific fields.
Findings of Unlawful Action
Burroughs, in an 84-page decision, concluded that the administration’s action was unconstitutional and violated federal law. She determined that the cancellation was tied to political disputes over antisemitism investigations on campus, rather than valid funding requirements. The court emphasized that federal research programs must not be used as instruments of political retaliation.
Harvard’s Reaction and Future Steps
Harvard applauded the ruling, underscoring the importance of the grants to ongoing research and academic activity. The Department of Justice has not said whether it will seek to challenge the decision in the First Circuit Court of Appeals. Agencies such as the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation are expected to resume distributing funds, though the timeline for disbursement is uncertain. The judgment delivers a major setback to the Trump administration’s broader push to influence universities through federal funding decisions.
