Harvard University was thrust into a standoff with the Trump administration after receiving a surprise letter last Friday containing sweeping demands related to hiring, admissions, and curriculum changes.
The letter, which came from the White House’s antisemitism task force, caused immediate concern among university officials, who felt the proposals were too extreme to accept. Harvard responded by publicly challenging the administration on Monday, escalating tensions between the university and the federal government.
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Shortly after the university’s response, a member of the task force contacted Harvard, claiming the letter had been sent by mistake and was not authorized. The communication reportedly came from Sean Keveney, the acting general counsel of the Department of Health and Human Services and a member of the task force.
Although the contents of the letter were genuine, there was confusion within the administration about how it had been released. Some officials believed the letter was distributed prematurely, while others thought it was only meant for internal review within the task force.
At the time the letter was sent, Harvard believed there was still room for negotiation with the administration. However, the tone and demands in the message left the university convinced that a resolution was unlikely.