(MENAFN) The Trump administration has announced plans to contest Harvard University's legal challenge regarding the suspension of federal funding, based on a statement made by White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday.

Leavitt emphasized that “The president (Donald Trump) has made it quite clear that it's Harvard who has put themselves in the position to lose their own funding by not obeying federal law.”

She reinforced the expectation that all institutions benefiting from public funds must follow national legislation, describing it as “quite simple.”

Her statements followed Harvard’s legal filing against the Trump administration just one day earlier, which came after the federal government rescinded more than USD2 billion in financial support for the prestigious university.

According to the legal complaint, the Trump administration is being accused of acting “unlawfully,” with the suit arguing that the move breaches not only the First Amendment but also multiple federal statutes and regulatory guidelines.

In addition, the administration has escalated its criticism of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, labeling them as “illegal and immoral discrimination.”

Leavitt reiterated the administration's stance, saying Trump “made it clear he’s not going to tolerate violations of federal law” and emphasized his zero-tolerance policy for “illegal harassment and violence towards Jewish American students or students of any faith” across U.S. campuses.

MENAFN23042025000045017167ID1109461336