Harvard follows suit and will pay $500 million to settle dispute with the White House: Comment by Sergei Vodolagin for Kommersant

Harvard University is reportedly nearing a $500 million settlement with the Trump administration to resolve federal investigations related to antisemitism and civil rights violations on campus. This proposed agreement, still under negotiation, is aimed at restoring access to frozen federal research funding—potentially exceeding $2 billion—and formally concluding the dispute. The exact composition of the $500 million—what specific penalties or programs it would cover—is not yet public.

Unlike Columbia University’s recent agreement, Harvard reportedly does not intend to pay the amount directly to the federal government. Instead, discussions suggest the funds could be allocated to workforce or vocational training programs. Another key point of contention is Harvard’s resistance to appointing an external monitor—a measure that Columbia accepted in its settlement—but Harvard considers it a threat to academic freedom 

Attempts by universities to take legal action against the U.S. government so far appear unsuccessful. The court dismissed Columbia University’s countersuit, which is why the institution decided to pay $220 million. Harvard’s administration is wary of a confrontation with Trump, explains international law expert Sergey Vodolagin:

“I believe this is the result of negotiations — a proposal from the plaintiff and some form of compromise with the defendant. Is this a large or small amount for a university? Harvard and Columbia are leading global research centers. They have private funding, so they can afford such payouts, although the sum is, of course, enormous. I would not rule out that they are trying to ensure these funds do not go directly to the administration. Perhaps they are seeking to redirect the money in the form of compensation, as their funding has recently been cut. Most likely, the lawsuits filed by the president’s administration will be upheld. The universities calculated that they would probably lose the cases, and therefore agreed to settle with the administration.”