"Harvard Willing to Pay $500 Million Fine... Is Harvard Finally Surrendering to Trump?"

NYT: "Harvard Makes Progress in Negotiations with U.S. Government"
Willing to Pay $500 Million Fine for Civil Rights Violations
"Aims to Avoid Further Disadvantages During Trump's Term"

Harvard University, which has experienced intense conflict with U.S. President Donald Trump, is reportedly willing to pay up to $500 million (approximately 695.9 billion KRW) in negotiations with the government. If the negotiations are finalized, it would mean that Harvard has ultimately surrendered in order to put an end to the conflict surrounding anti-Semitism. According to Yonhap News on the 28th (local time), citing the New York Times (NYT), "According to sources familiar with the ongoing negotiations, Harvard is reluctant to pay the U.S. federal government directly and is currently discussing specific financial terms."

Harvard University, a prestigious institution in the United States. AFP Yonhap News

Amid the spread of anti-Israel sentiment on U.S. college campuses last year due to Israel's airstrikes on Palestine, President Trump had expressed his disapproval of this even before taking office. In response, the government has investigated 60 universities, including prestigious Ivy League schools, citing incidents of anti-Semitism on campus as a problem. The government has also demanded that Harvard abolish its DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) policies and change its internal policies to strengthen government influence over admissions and hiring processes. However, when the university refused, the government increased pressure by attempting to expel international students, suspend federal funding, and terminate government service contracts.

In May, President Trump posted on his social networking service (SNS), calling Harvard "a joke" and arguing that it "should be removed from the list of prestigious universities." In response, Harvard President Alan Garber stated, "Even as president, you cannot order a private university what to teach or not to teach." He also cut his own salary by 25% to protest the suspension of federal subsidies.

However, last month, the Trump administration sent Harvard a civil rights violation notice, alleging that the university had neglected threats targeting Jewish students, thereby applying additional pressure. Previously, Columbia University faced similar charges and, through negotiations with the government, agreed to pay a $200 million (approximately 277.8 billion KRW) fine, which allowed it to regain access to more than $1.2 billion (approximately 1.6668 trillion KRW) in annual federal subsidies.

This time, the amount demanded by the government from Harvard is reportedly more than double that. According to the NYT, President Trump has unofficially insisted that Harvard should pay more than Columbia University.

The NYT reported, "Negotiations have made considerable progress, but Harvard remains skeptical about accepting an 'external independent monitor,' as Columbia did, on the grounds that it would infringe upon academic freedom." It also noted, "For several months, Harvard officials have concluded that even if they win a legal battle with the government, reaching a settlement could help avoid further disadvantages during Trump's term."