Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Sep 20: The Trump administration intensified its pressure on Harvard University on Friday, placing the Ivy League institution under heightened financial oversight and threatening sanctions if it fails to provide additional data on its admissions practices.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon said the department is implementing “heightened cash monitoring,” requiring Harvard to use its own funds to pay student financial aid first and then seek reimbursement from the federal government. She also warned of “further enforcement action” if the university does not produce records demonstrating that race is no longer considered in admissions. Harvard has not commented on the matter.

This move is part of President Donald Trump’s broader campaign against what he perceives as liberal bias at colleges nationwide. Since taking office, his administration has leveraged the Education Department to cut federal research grants and push universities into compliance with its demands.

Harvard had previously lost $2.6 billion in federal research funding after resisting administration directives on governance and disciplinary policies. A federal judge recently ordered the restoration of these funds, describing the administration’s actions as “a targeted, ideologically-motivated assault on this country's premier universities.” On Friday, the Department of Health and Human Services unfroze $46 million in research funding for Harvard.

The administration’s scrutiny also extends to admissions practices, demanding information to prove compliance with the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling banning consideration of race in college admissions. The university’s finances, including its $53 billion endowment, are now under heightened federal review amid concerns over its financial stability.