Legal Tussle: Harvard vs. Trump Administration

The Trump administration has filed a lawsuit against Harvard University, demanding documents about its admissions process amid a federal investigation. The Justice Department wants to assess compliance with a Supreme Court decision on race-conscious admissions, without accusing Harvard of discrimination or seeking damages.

The Trump administration has initiated legal proceedings against Harvard University, filing a lawsuit to gain access to documents related to its admissions process. The case was lodged in a federal court in Boston, with the Justice Department aiming to evaluate whether Harvard complies with a recent Supreme Court decision that deems race-conscious admissions unconstitutional.

This lawsuit, the administration clarifies, is to obtain documentation pertaining to any race-related considerations in admissions decisions; it does not allege discriminatory practices nor seeks financial penalties or an end to federal funding. Requests for comments from Harvard representatives have yet to yield a response.

Earlier, President Donald Trump expressed the administration's intent to demand $1 billion from Harvard to settle ongoing investigations. This legal action follows other moves by the administration to influence educational institutions perceived to support ideologies Trump criticizes. Grants for some Harvard researchers were canceled, citing insufficient efforts to combat harassment of Jewish students, leading to a countersuit from the university.

(With inputs from agencies.)