Court Restores $2.2 Billion in Grants
A federal judge in Massachusetts has ruled against the Trump administration’s effort to cancel more than $2.2 billion in research funding for Harvard University. On September 3, Judge Allison Burroughs ordered that the grants be reinstated and prohibited any further suspension. The funding, which had been frozen since spring, supports a wide range of projects in science, medicine, and engineering.
Judge Cites Political Motivation
In an 84-page ruling, Burroughs concluded that the administration’s actions violated both constitutional protections and federal administrative law. The judge found that the cancellation was influenced by political disputes surrounding campus antisemitism investigations rather than legitimate funding criteria. The decision underscores that federal research dollars cannot be used as a tool of political pressure.
Implications for Harvard and Federal Agencies
Harvard officials welcomed the ruling, emphasizing the importance of the grants to ongoing research and academic programs. The Justice Department has not indicated whether it will appeal the decision to the First Circuit Court of Appeals. Agencies such as the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation are expected to resume payments, though the timeline for full disbursement remains unclear. The ruling represents a significant legal setback for the Trump administration’s attempts to leverage federal funding to influence universities.
