A US federal judge has dismissed the Trump administration's lawsuit that accused Harvard University of failing to protect Jewish and Israeli students from harassment following the Gaza war. The ruling, issued on Thursday morning by US District Judge Richard Stearns in Boston, determined that the administration's complaint, filed in March, did not plausibly demonstrate an ongoing violation of federal civil rights law on Harvard's campus.
Judge Cites Isolated Incidents
Judge Stearns noted that the administration's complaint focused primarily on a handful of incidents alleged in March 2025, describing them as "too isolated and episodic" to support a claim of ongoing civil rights violations by Harvard. The ruling deals a significant blow to President Donald Trump and his officials, who have sought to pressure the elite university on various issues, including antisemitism, race-in-admissions policies, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
In its original complaint, the Department of Justice (DoJ) painted a dire picture of campus life after Hamas's 7 October 2023 attack, alleging that Jewish and Israeli students were "harassed, physically assaulted, stalked, and spat upon" while Harvard's administration "did nothing." The DoJ argued this violated Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on race or national origin in federally funded programs.
Ruling on Title VI Scope
In a concise four-page ruling, Judge Stearns said he was not "diminishing any concern arising" from campus events following the Hamas attacks, but he asserted that the DoJ's complaint misinterpreted the scope of Title VI. He explained that Congress intended the law to be forward-looking, aiming to incentivize compliance rather than penalize past missteps. The examples of alleged discrimination provided by the Trump administration were almost entirely from the 2023-24 academic year.
The judge further noted that the administration's amended complaint was "devoid of any factual allegations" and evidence of noncompliance after Harvard was put on notice under Title VI in June 2025. He dismissed what he called "the government's fevered forewarning of potential havoc" as failing to meet the purpose of the enforcement action.
Reaction and Next Steps
Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general for civil rights at the DoJ, responded in a statement on Thursday, saying, "We disagree with the ruling and are assessing next steps." The dismissal marks a setback for the administration's broader efforts to influence Harvard's policies, though the government may appeal the decision or pursue other legal avenues.
