Trump says administration close to finalizing federal funding deal with Harvard University

Harvard 'certainly' doesn't have a First Amendment right to force this funding, Trump White House official argues

White House senior policy strategist May Mailman makes the case for 'effective' use of taxpayer funds as Harvard University and the Trump administration face off in court on 'The Will Cain Show.'

President Donald Trump indicated on Tuesday that his administration is close to finalizing a deal with Harvard University to restore $2.4 billion in federal grants.

"I guess we reached a deal with Harvard today. All you have to do is paper it, right, Linda?" Trump asked Education Secretary Linda McMahon in the Oval Office.

"Yes, sir. Paper it out," she replied.

SETTLEMENT TALKS FALTER BETWEEN TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AND HARVARD: REPORT

President Donald Trump on Tuesday said his administration is nearing a deal with Harvard University to restore billions in federal funding.  (Getty Images)

"We’re in the process of getting very close, and Linda is finishing up the final details, and they’d be paying about $500 million," Trump said. "And they’ll be operating trade schools, and they’ll be teaching people how to do AI and lots of other things. Engines, lots of things."

Trump and Harvard have battled over his decision to slash billions in federal funds. The terms of the deal were not made clear.

Earlier this year, the Trump administration froze $2.2 billion in funding for the university and threatened to revoke its tax-exempt status due to the Ivy League school’s alleged failure to address antisemitism on campus.

US BLOCKS TRUMP ATTEMPT TO FREEZE MORE THAN $2 BILLION IN HARVARD FUNDS

Harvard pro-Palestinian protests  (Getty Images )

Harvard successfully challenged the freeze in court, with a judge accusing the administration of weaponizing antisemitism as a pretext for an "ideologically motivated assault" on the university.

The Trump administration and Harvard nearly reached a settlement in August. Terms of the deal called for Harvard to spend $500 million on workforce programs in exchange for the restoration of billions in federal funding.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Harvard and the White House.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

Trump has threatened other universities over their alleged failures to rein in antisemitism during anti-Israel protests.

Fox News Digital's Marc Tamasco contributed to this report. 

Louis Casiano is a reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to [email protected].