A Defense Department official cautioned the Trump administration against terminating a $12 million biological threat research grant at Harvard, warning it posed serious national security risks, according to recent court filings submitted by Harvard.
The documents, part of internal White House communications reviewed by Harvard’s lawyers, reveal the administration ordered a freeze on more than $2 billion in federal funds to Harvard’s research programs, actions Harvard says violated federal law.
The DARPA official stated: “Harvard is currently the top performing team on the … program” addressing emergency biological threats, emphasizing that “inadequate knowledge of the biological threat landscape poses grave and immediate harm to national security.”
Despite these concerns, the Defense Department ended the grant in mid-May. Harvard’s attorneys argued the cancellation was unjustified and politically motivated, saying, “Nothing in the Government’s administrative record indicates that the Secretary of Defense yielded to the contracting official’s plea.”
Research Disruptions and Funding Cuts
Harvard’s vice provost for research, John Shaw, warned that the funding cuts would severely disrupt critical projects. Sensitive equipment would deteriorate, samples could spoil, and live specimens may be euthanized. He added that Harvard “cannot cover the funding gap itself” despite its large endowment.
Harvard noted that the biological threat program was at a crucial experimental stage and that the university plays a key role integrating multiple technologies vital to this research.
Other federally funded projects losing support include:
- A pediatric HIV/AIDS study with an $88 million grant
- A $7 million breast cancer prevention program
- A $10 million effort against antibiotic-resistant infections
Harvard estimates $2.4 billion in federal awards have been cut, affecting over 950 ongoing research projects.
Allegations of Unlawful and Politicized Actions
Harvard alleges the White House directed these funding freezes and terminations without proper investigation into claims of antisemitism.
The court filings indicate agencies were ordered to terminate funding quickly, without explaining decisions or considering alternatives. Harvard’s lawyers assert the government lacked evidence linking federal support to antisemitism before cutting funds.
“The Government rushed to terminate Harvard’s funding … solely to inflict maximum punishment upon Harvard,” they wrote.
What The Author Thinks
Cutting funding for vital research based on political motives rather than facts jeopardizes national security and academic freedom. This approach threatens to derail crucial scientific advancements that benefit society and undermines trust in government oversight.
Featured image credit: Wikimedia Commons
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