RismadarVoice Reporters
August 13, 2026
A US federal court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Trump administration against Harvard University, which accused the institution of allowing antisemitism during pro-Palestinian demonstrations on its campus.
US District Judge Richard Stearns in Boston ruled on Thursday that the government had failed to sufficiently establish that Harvard violated a provision of the Civil Rights Act prohibiting discrimination based on race, nationality and other protected characteristics.
The lawsuit was part of President Donald Trump’s broader campaign against major American universities over their handling of pro-Palestinian protests following Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
In a complaint filed in March, the US Department of Justice accused Harvard’s leadership and faculty of failing to adequately address what it described as antisemitism and discrimination against Jewish and Israeli students.
The government alleged that Harvard allowed anti-Israel demonstrators to occupy university libraries and permitted an encampment to remain on campus for about 20 days despite university rules prohibiting it.
Harvard challenged the lawsuit and asked the court to dismiss the case.
Granting the university’s request, Judge Stearns said the incidents cited by the Trump administration were “too isolated and episodic” to establish that Harvard had failed to comply with the Civil Rights Act.
The ruling represents a setback for the Trump administration’s efforts to pressure Harvard over its handling of campus protests and alleged antisemitism.
The administration has also sought to freeze billions of dollars in federal funding to Harvard, accusing the university of tolerating antisemitism and promoting liberal bias.
A federal judge ruled last September that the funding freeze was largely unlawful and ordered the government to restore the funds.
