Harvard University said Wednesday that it will not accept $8.6 million in federal coronavirus aid, following pressure from President Trump.
Harvard had been allocated the funds as part of the CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund passed last month to assist students facing urgent financial needs due to the pandemic.
“We are concerned that intense focus by politicians & others on Harvard in connection with the program may undermine participation in a relief effort,” Harvard said in a statement on Wednesday.
As of Wednesday morning, Harvard had declined to return the funds and planned on using them to provide direct aid to students for living expenses to those with need and supporting students’ transition to online education.
Harvard changed its stance regarding the aid, after pressure from multiple politicians, including Trump, Republican Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Martha McSally of Arizona, and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. The university recognized on Wednesday afternoon that the higher education relief program was created to help institutions “whose financial challenges may be most severe.” Harvard is one of the richest private schools in the country, with an endowment of almost $41 billion, according to Forbes.
During Tuesday’s White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing, Trump said he would personally ask Harvard University to pay back the nearly $9 million it received from the legislation he signed late last month.
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“Harvard’s going to pay back the money,” Trump said. “And they shouldn’t be taking it so, Harvard’s going to, you have a number of them, I’m not going to mention any names, but when I saw Harvard, they have one of the largest endowments anywhere in the country, maybe in the world I guess, and they’re going to pay back that money.”
Harvard says it will still provide the financial support that it has promised to its students but will do so without the federal aid.
