A federal judge in Massachusetts has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the US President Donald Trump administration against Harvard University, citing a lack of sufficient evidence to support the claims. The legal action had alleged that the institution failed to protect Jewish students from harassment and permitted antisemitism on campus.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, the ruling was delivered by US District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns. In his decision, Judge Stearns characterized the incidents presented by the administration as largely isolated or periodic in nature, rather than evidence of a systemic policy of discrimination.
The lawsuit, initiated in March, primarily focused on events reported during the 2023-2024 academic year. While the administration argued that the university failed to adequately address incidents involving verbal and physical harassment of Jewish students during pro-Palestinian protests following October 2023, the court found the legal arguments insufficient to substantiate a violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Judge Stearns noted that the provided facts did not demonstrate a pervasive culture of antisemitism at the university.
Harmeet Dhillon, head of the Civil Rights Division at the US Department of Justice, expressed disagreement with the ruling, stating, "We disagree with the decision and are reviewing our next steps."
This legal battle is part of a broader tension between the Trump administration and elite academic institutions. Previously, US President Donald Trump announced plans to cut approximately $2.6 billion in federal funding to Harvard. However, that decision was blocked by US District Court Judge Allison Burroughs following proceedings in a Boston federal court on September 3, 2025. Harvard University, a private Ivy League institution, remains a focal point in ongoing national debates regarding campus speech, academic freedom, and the enforcement of civil rights protections in higher education.
