The United States Justice Department is investigating Harvard University. The government wants to inspect the school’s student aid programs. Officials say these programs break laws that protect citizens. They claim the university keeps American students out of some aid.
The government accuses Harvard of giving financial aid to Chinese students. In return, the school gets cash from donors inside China. A Bloomberg news report first shared this story.
Investigators started their work after a government review of foreign donations. President Donald Trump ordered this review last year. He used a special order to check private colleges. The review tracked money from other countries to Harvard. Between 1986 and 2026, Harvard received almost 4.5 billion dollars from outside the country. No other American college got that much foreign money. China gave the most cash to Harvard. Chinese donors sent more than 630 million dollars to the school.
The Government Might Cut Off Harvard’s Funding
Harvard faces a big risk if the government proves these claims. The government might stop sending billions of dollars to the school. This money helps students pay for classes. It also pays for science research. So, Harvard needs this cash to run.
This probe shows the White House is watching Chinese influence. They want to check how other countries are meddling in American schools. Last year, Secretary of State Marco Rubio asked for a review of Harvard’s deals with Chinese groups. He wanted to know if Harvard broke trade limits.
The White House is also looking at other college issues. They are checking how schools handle hate on campus. They want to stop unfair choices when schools pick students. They also want to stop bias when schools hire teachers.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon spoke about the new probe. She said schools cannot take tax dollars and ignore American students. She also stated that schools cannot accept foreign money to give student aid that deliberately excludes American citizens.
