Judge dismisses Trump admin’s antisemitism lawsuit against Harvard

Harvard University has won an important legal victory after a federal judge dismissed the Trump administration’s lawsuit accusing the school of failing to address antisemitism on campus.

Judge Richard G. Stearns ruled that the government had not shown enough evidence to prove Harvard continues to violate federal civil rights law. He said the incidents cited in the lawsuit were too isolated to establish an ongoing institutional problem.

Federal officials alleged that Harvard did not adequately protect Jewish students during protests that followed the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel. The lawsuit came amid a wider White House campaign against Harvard, including attempts to slash its funding and block international student enrollment.

Harvard argued that it had taken sustained steps to address antisemitism. Stearns agreed, saying the government relied mainly on incidents from the 2023-24 academic year and failed to show ongoing institutional violations.

The ruling weakens the administration’s effort to pressure Harvard by threatening federal funding.

However, other legal battles between Harvard and the Trump administration remain ongoing.