Secretary of Education Linda McMahon on Wednesday defended the Trump administration’s crackdown on Harvard University and efforts to address campus antisemitism.
Testifying before Congress, McMahon backed the announcement the General Services Administration made in late May to pull remaining government contracts and federal funds from Harvard.
“To receive federal funding, these institutions must comply with federal law. Every student deserves an education free from bias, unfair treatment, or ideological agendas that undermine equal opportunity,” McMahon told the House Education and the Workforce Committee.
She praised the actions taken across the Trump administration to “provide clarity” on the problem of discrimination.
“We are strengthening oversight to ensure that both K-12 and higher education institutions adhere to civil rights laws, especially those addressing discrimination,” McMahon said.
Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL), who introduced the “Preventing Antisemitic Harassment on Campus Act of 2025” in May, identified himself as Jewish and a Harvard alumnus while thanking McMahon for what she has done so far for campus reform, mentioning his own two sons and the fear they have as Jewish students.
“With my 17-year-old, when he was born, I had a dream that he would follow me to where I went to school. And now, in the next few weeks, it’s time for him to start thinking about where he’s going to apply to college. I don’t know that I even want him to go to college at all in the days that we live in,” Fine said.
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), known for her tough questioning of university presidents about campus antisemitism, praised McMahon’s efforts against Ivy League institutions.
“Harvard has failed to save itself. They are responding to the exceptional work of this committee and the accountability measures that this administration has put into place. I want to thank you for your leadership and President Trump for his leadership,” Stefanik said.
Some actions McMahon mentioned toward the anti-discrimination agenda included revising the Office of Civil Rights’s processing manual and reorganizing staff on a topical basis, rather than location-based.
McMahon implied her withdrawal of funds from “hostile or discriminatory” institutions was having different outcomes depending on the school. She mentioned that Columbia University, from whom the Trump administration previously threatened to pull $400 million in grants and contracts, was willing to meet, while the situation between Harvard and the administration has grown worse.
“We’ve withheld funding and we’re asking, as Columbia has done, to come to the table for negotiations. We’ve also asked Harvard — their answer was a lawsuit,” McMahon said.
Later, on Wednesday, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation to suspend the entry of foreign nationals seeking to study or research at Harvard University over national security concerns, impacting its international student enrollment.
Separately, the Department of Education announced it was seeking to remove accreditation from Columbia over antisemitism on campus, a move that threatens the academic viability of the New York City institution and access to federal student aid.
“After Hamas’ October 7, 2023, terror attack on Israel, Columbia University’s leadership acted with deliberate indifference towards the harassment of Jewish students on its campus,” McMahon said in a written statement after her testimony. “This is not only immoral, but also unlawful.”
Subcommittee of Higher Education and Workforce Development member, Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-WI), praised McMahon’s efforts and the consequences that discriminatory campuses are now facing.
“If there was a time 15 years ago someone said, ‘My son’s going to Harvard next year,’ you think, ‘Wow, he’s a smart kid.’ Now, going to Harvard, you want to say, ‘Why let him go there?’ And that’s as it should be,” Grothman said in an interview with the Washington Examiner.
McMahon justified the administration’s actions with anecdotes from students who have suffered on campuses.
“I have spoken to students who attend these universities that do allow these antisemitic attacks, I am told that they are afraid,” McMahon said.
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There was not much said by the Democrats present about Harvard or holding schools accountable for antisemitism.
McMahon was criticized by those from her home state of Connecticut. Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT) told the secretary “talk is cheap” when compared to budgets. But McMahon hit back during another representative’s questioning.
“[Rep. Courtney] said talk is cheap, we’ve put teeth in these efforts,” McMahon said.