'Mistaken' Letter Triggered Trump-Harvard Clash: Report

Apr 19, 2025 Komal Das

A letter from Trump’s antisemitism task force to Harvard demanding changes in hiring, admissions, and curriculum sparked major backlash

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The letter, sent by HHS’s acting general counsel Sean Keveney, was later revealed to be unauthorised and mistakenly sent

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A mistaken, unauthorized letter from Trump’s team disrupted talks with Harvard, leading the university to drop the deal

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The White House blamed Harvard for cutting talks short and said discussions could resume if Harvard apologizes and meets Trump’s demands

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Trump’s team insists the letter was official; Harvard says its tone and format left no reason to doubt its authenticity, despite sweeping demands

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Harvard said the government's actions, mistaken or not, had serious impacts on students, staff, and U.S. education’s global image

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After rejecting the demands, the White House froze $2.2 billion in grants and threatened Harvard’s tax-exempt status

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