NATIONAL NEWS

Trump says his administration is close to reaching a deal with Harvard University

Sep 30, 2025, 1:46 PM | Updated: 2:10 pm

FILE - People take photos near a John Harvard statue, left, on the Harvard University campus, Jan. ...

FILE - People take photos near a John Harvard statue, left, on the Harvard University campus, Jan. 2, 2024, in Cambridge, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS

(AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Tuesday that his administration is close to reaching a deal with Harvard University, which it has targeted with a series of investigations and billions of dollars in funding cuts as it presses for changes to its policies and governance.

A truce with the country’s oldest and wealthiest college would end a clash that has tested the independence of America’s colleges.

Trump came into office saying he would cut funding for schools that defied his agenda, vowing to eliminate “wokeness.” His pressure campaign zeroed in on the Ivy League institution after it rebuffed his demands.

Trump initially said a deal had been reached but then said officials were “close to finalizing” the agreement. “We haven’t done it yet,” he said at the White House.

Harvard and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

A deal would open the door to a resolution of sanctions that have included cuts to more than $2.6 billion in Harvard’s research grants, losses of federal contracts, and efforts to cut off the school’s ability to enroll foreign students.

___

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

National News

Associated Press

New Orleans port sues to get control of tanker that crashed into cruise ship on Mississippi River

Just hours after a tanker in New Orleans lost its steering and slammed into a docked river cruise boat, the city’s port sued to make sure federal investigators can seize the vessel that is owned by a subsidiary of a Chinese company. All 197 passengers and crew on the American Heritage cruise ship survived Friday […]

26 minutes ago

The control tower is seen at Washington Dulles International Airport after the Federal Aviation Adm...

Associated Press

Why a problem on the ground can affect flights thousands of miles away among other issues

Regional U.S. air traffic control centers communicate using a complex network that’s “one of the largest telecommunications systems in the country,” and disruptions like those seen on Friday with an hourslong, nationwide grounding of flights can reverberate widely, according to an aviation expert. Michael McCormick, a former airspace manager with the Federal Aviation Administration, said […]

48 minutes ago

Aircraft are seen at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International airport, Friday, Nov. 13, 2026, in At...

Associated Press

US sports scramble back to normal after FAA ground stop upends team travel

Major sporting events slowly returned to normal Saturday after the Federal Aviation Administration grounded all flights nationwide for several hours a day earlier, disrupting travel plans for professional and college teams across the country. Most college football teams playing Saturday travel the day before kickoff, and a number of games were delayed by hours to […]

1 hour ago

Associated Press

Bomb found near ethanol plant in central Illinois forces evacuations as authorities investigate

A bomb was found near an ethanol plant in central Illinois, sparking evacuations of those who live near the industrial site as law enforcement officials investigate, authorities said Saturday. The bomb was found Friday afternoon at the BioUrja Renewables facility in Peoria. While officials say the device has since been “rendered safe,” as of Saturday […]

5 hours ago

Ashley Sarracino, center, helps her nieces get dressed before participating in traditional dances i...

Associated Press

Deb Haaland breaks political barriers as Native women in her home community face hurdles

PARAJE, N.M. (AP) — On the morning of a Laguna Pueblo village’s annual Feast Day, Ashley Sarracino knelt in her family home holding clothespins between her teeth. She straightened her niece’s black cotton manta, a traditional one-shouldered dress, and tied a sash around her waist. On these days, Sarracino is a caretaker, dressing relatives for […]

6 hours ago

An injured child is treated at the Al-Aqsa Hospital, following an Israeli military strike in easter...

Associated Press

Israeli drone strike kills 2 Palestinians in Gaza, and other Mideast news

An Israeli drone strike killed two Palestinians in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, hospital officials said. Meanwhile, Iranian state TV reported that three oil tankers struck Iranian naval mines and caught fire around the Strait of Hormuz in the latest attack on shipping moving through the Persian Gulf. Here are the latest developments from the […]

6 hours ago

Trump says his administration is close to reaching a deal with Harvard University