On Monday, the Trump administration decided to suspend $2.2 billion in grants to Harvard University. This decision comes after the university rejected demands by the administration.

The demands included the removal of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and the screening of international students for ideological concerns, which Harvard refused to comply with, reported CNBC.

Harvard’s rejection of these demands has put nearly $9 billion in federal funding at risk. The White House has also issued similar threats to other universities, including Columbia, Cornell, and Northwestern.

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Harvard President Alan Garber stated, “No government -- regardless of which party is in power -- should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.” The U.S. General Services Administration and Department of Education responded by detailing the freeze of $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contract value to Harvard.

The federal agencies emphasized the need for universities to uphold civil rights laws, stating, “The harassment of Jewish students is intolerable.” The White House, through spokesperson Harrison Fields, reiterated its stance on ensuring federal funds do not support racial discrimination, according to the report.

Harvard has a $53 billion endowment, which equips it better to stave off financial pressure from the Trump administration. Tax exemptions for private universities have been questioned, including by Billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman.

Photo Courtesy: f11photo on Shutterstock.com

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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Shivdeep Dhaliwal