United States Secretary of Education Linda McMahon issued a stark warning to Harvard officials that she would take firm action on the Ivy League university if it continues to covertly violate federal law by pursuing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs.   Harvard should be penalized.

     Following his inauguration in January 2025, President Donald Trump made the elimination of collegiate DEI initiatives a coar administration priority, signing executive orders (EOs) that directly targeted Harvard and other higher education institutions.  The university is also facing a multi-front legal battle: the Department of Education is investigating Harvard’s race-based admissions and reports of campus antisemitism, while the Department of Justice (DOJ) has sued the Ivy League institution for failing to purge past admissions data.  During an episode of the New York Post‘s“Pod Force One,” McMahon said that Harvard remains informed as the administration continues to attempt to eliminate what it refers to as unlawful discrimination in higher education.

     “Having always the hammer, if you will, of investigation, of losing federal funding for research and programs, as well as having lawsuits potentially brought by the Department of Justice are certainly things that they bear in mind as well,” the education secretary.  The White House has sought to revoke $2.2 billion in federal grants to Harvard after determining the university was not complying with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, alleging it failed to adequately protect Jewish students from campus antisemitism and harassment.  A federal judge subsequently ordered the restoration of the funds, a decision the Trump administration has since appealed.

     “Having always the hammer, if you will, of investigation, of losing federal funding for research and programs, as well as having lawsuits potentially brought by the Department of Justice are certainly things that they bear in mind as well,” the education secretary.  The White House has sought to revoke $2.2 billion in federal grants to Harvard after determining the university was not complying with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, alleging it failed to adequately protect Jewish students from campus antisemitism and harassment.  A federal judge subsequently ordered the restoration of the funds, a decision the Trump administration has since appealed.