Trump Administration Sues Harvard Over Admissions Probe

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The Trump administration has filed a lawsuit against Harvard University, accusing the school of failing to comply with a federal investigation into its admissions policies. The Justice Department claims Harvard has refused to produce documents related to how it considers race in the admissions process, despite a recent Supreme Court ruling that such practices are unconstitutional.

Why it matters

This lawsuit is the latest escalation in the ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and Harvard over issues of campus diversity, free speech, and the role of race in college admissions. The outcome could have significant implications for affirmative action policies at universities across the country.

The details

The lawsuit alleges that Harvard has "repeatedly slow-walked the pace of production and refused to produce pertinent data and documents," including admissions policies and correspondence related to diversity, equity and inclusion programs. The Justice Department says the requested documents will help assess whether Harvard is complying with the Supreme Court's 2023 ruling that race-conscious admissions are unconstitutional.

• The lawsuit was filed on February 13, 2026.
• In January 2026, President Trump said his administration was seeking $1 billion from Harvard to settle probes into school policies.

What’s next

The judge presiding over the case will determine whether Harvard must comply with the Justice Department's document requests as part of the federal investigation into the university's admissions practices.