University says govt 'doubled down' on tactics in ending another $585m in research funding, on top of earlier grant freeze

Harvard University expanded its lawsuit against the Trump administration on May 13, hours after the government said it was ending about US$450 million (S$585 million) in research funding to the school.

- Alan Blinder

MASSACHUSETTS - Harvard University expanded its lawsuit against the Trump administration on May 13, hours after the government said it was ending about US$450 million (S$585 million) in research funding to the school.

The battle between the administration and the nation's oldest university has been intensifying since April 1, when the government sent Harvard a list of intrusive demands in a mistakenly e-mailed missive.

After the university refused to comply, the government froze more than US$2 billion in grants, which prompted the school to sue in federal court in Boston.

But the litigation has done little to cow the federal government.

On May 5, Education Secretary Linda McMahon warned Harvard against even applying for federal grant money "since none will be provided".

In its amended lawsuit on May 13, Harvard said the government had "doubled down" on its tactics as it "ratcheted up funding cuts, investigations, and threats that will hurt students from every state in the country and around the world".

According to the university, at least half a dozen federal departments and agencies have sent notices in the last week about grants being terminated.