The United States Department of Defense has announced plans to sever all academic ties with Harvard University, bringing an end to military education programs, fellowships, and certificate courses linked to the Ivy League institution.
The decision, disclosed in a Pentagon statement on Friday, marks the latest escalation in the Trump administration’s ongoing dispute with Harvard over allegations that the university promotes what officials describe as “woke” ideology.
Announcing the move, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the department would no longer send military officers to Harvard for advanced training and education.
“For too long, this department has sent our best and brightest officers to Harvard, hoping the university would better understand and appreciate our warrior class,” Hegseth said. “Instead, too many of our officers came back looking too much like Harvard — heads full of globalist and radical ideologies that do not improve our fighting ranks.”
According to the Pentagon, the withdrawal will take effect from the 2026–2027 academic year, although military personnel currently enrolled in Harvard programs will be allowed to complete their studies.
In a separate post on 𝕏 (formerly Twitter), Hegseth wrote: “Harvard is woke; The War Department is not,” using his preferred reference to the Department of Defense.
Hegseth also disclosed that the Pentagon would review its academic relationships with all Ivy League institutions involved in military training and education. He said the review would assess whether such schools provide “cost-effective strategic education for future senior leaders” compared with public universities and military-run graduate programs.
Despite his criticism, Hegseth himself is an Ivy League graduate, having earned degrees from both Princeton University and Harvard University. He has previously criticised Harvard’s policies as left-leaning and reportedly returned his degree to the institution.
The decision comes amid broader tensions between the Trump administration and elite US universities. On Monday, President Donald Trump said his administration would seek $1 billion in damages from Harvard, following a New York Times report that the university had secured concessions in settlement talks with the federal government.
Administration officials have accused Harvard and other universities of failing to adequately protect Jewish students during pro-Palestinian protests, filing legal complaints and demanding substantial financial penalties.
The administration has also moved to cut more than $2.6 billion in federal funding to Harvard and attempted to block the admission of international students, who make up about a quarter of the university’s population.
The growing pressure on universities has prompted concerns among academics, including a former Harvard president, who have warned that the measures could undermine academic freedom.
