Cambridge, MA – April 16, 2025
A prominent Harvard Law School professor is raising constitutional alarms after the university firmly rejected demands from President Donald Trump, calling the resulting funding cuts “unquestionably unconstitutional.”
The controversy stems from the federal government’s recent decision to slash funding to Harvard, allegedly in response to the school’s refusal to implement certain policies pushed by Trump. While details remain murky, sources indicate the president’s demands involved ideological stipulations around curriculum and faculty positions, which Harvard deemed politically motivated and in violation of academic freedom.
Harvard Law Professor Jonathan Reynolds, a constitutional law expert, didn’t mince words. “This kind of retaliatory action violates the First Amendment protections of academic freedom and free expression,” he said. “The government cannot coerce a private institution into aligning with political views by threatening its funding. That is unquestionably unconstitutional.”
The university released a brief statement affirming its commitment to independence in academic governance. “Harvard will not compromise its values or allow political interference to dictate its mission,” the statement read.
The funding cut, though not yet fully detailed, reportedly affects several federal grants and research initiatives. Legal experts suggest the matter could escalate into a major court battle, potentially setting a precedent for the boundaries of government influence over private academic institutions.
The Trump camp has not officially commented on the constitutional concerns, but allies have defended the cuts as a “necessary corrective” to what they call “institutional bias in elite education.”
As the legal fight brews, faculty and students at Harvard are rallying in support of the administration’s stance, raising broader questions about the role of higher education in American democracy.
