Federal judge dismisses Trump administration's antisemitism lawsuit against Harvard University

U.S. District Judge Richard G. Stearns dismisses the Trump administration's civil rights lawsuit against Harvard University, ruling that the cited antisemitic incidents from 2023 to 2025 are too isolated and episodic to prove ongoing Title VI violations. The lawsuit sought to recoup billions in federal funding, alleging Harvard failed to protect Jewish students after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon states the Justice Department disagrees and is assessing next steps.

Harvard antisemitism lawsuit dismissal

• ▪The Trump administration's lawsuit, filed in March 2026, sought to recover billions of dollars in federal taxpayer subsidies and research grants awarded to Harvard University.
• ▪U.S. District Judge Richard G. Stearns dismissed the Trump administration's civil rights lawsuit against Harvard University on August 13, 2026.
• ▪Harvard University argued in court filings that the Trump administration's lawsuit was pretextual, retaliatory, and part of a campaign to burden the university's First Amendment rights.

Title VI compliance standard

• ▪Judge Richard G. Stearns ruled that the Trump administration could not claim damages because Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 requires formal notice of noncompliance before legal action, which was sent in June 2025 after most alleged incidents occurred.
• ▪Judge Richard G. Stearns found that the Trump administration's complaint failed to plausibly establish any events of noncompliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 occurring after June 30, 2025.

Isolated episodic incidents finding

• ▪The incidents cited in the Trump administration's lawsuit occurred almost entirely during the 2023-24 academic year, with only a few additional incidents alleged in March 2025.
• ▪Judge Richard G. Stearns ruled that the antisemitic incidents cited by the Trump administration were too isolated and episodic to support a plausible inference of ongoing, institutionalized noncompliance with Title VI at Harvard University.

Trump administration enforcement response

• ▪In a separate legal case, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to reverse more than $2.6 billion in federal funding cuts to Harvard University, finding the cuts unconstitutional.
• ▪Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon stated that the Department of Justice disagreed with the dismissal and was assessing its next steps, noting that the Civil Rights Division continues to actively investigate antisemitism nationwide.
• ▪The dismissed lawsuit was part of a broader Trump administration pressure campaign against Harvard University, which has included attempts to freeze federal funding, limit international student enrollment, and restrict military member enrollment.

Jewish student harassment allegations

• ▪The Trump administration's lawsuit accused Harvard University of deliberate indifference to severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive harassment of Jewish and Israeli students following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.
• ▪The lawsuit alleged that Jewish students at Harvard University were physically assaulted, spat upon, excluded from protests, and pressured into wearing baseball caps to hide their yarmulkes.
• ▪Harvard University President Alan M. Garber stated that the university formed a task force to combat antisemitism, hired a new provost and deans, and reformed its discipline policies to make them more consistent and fair.

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