The dispute between the Trump administration and Harvard centers primarily on the university’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, commonly known as DEI programs. These institutional policies have become a focal point of disagreement between federal authorities and university leadership.

The U.S. Department of Education informed Harvard University on Monday that it was freezing billions of dollars in research grants and other aid until the elite university concedes to a number of demands from the Trump administration,

Education Secretary Linda McMahon accused the school of "engaging in a systematic pattern of violating federal law."