The Pentagon has terminated all military training partnerships with Harvard University, marking a decisive break between the Defense Department and the Ivy League institution over ideological concerns.

Defense Secretary Announces Harvard Cutoff

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Friday that Harvard no longer meets the needs of the War Department or military services. Starting with the 2026-27 academic year, the Pentagon will discontinue graduate-level professional military education, fellowships, and certificate programs at the university. Hegseth stated that too many officers returned from Harvard with globalist and radical ideologies that failed to improve fighting ranks.

The Defense Secretary, who earned a master’s degree from Harvard but symbolically returned his diploma during a 2022 Fox News segment, wrote on social media that Harvard is woke while the War Department is not. Personnel currently enrolled at Harvard will complete their ongoing courses, but no new military students will be admitted. Similar evaluations of other Ivy League universities will follow in the coming weeks.

Broader Campaign Against Elite Universities

This action represents the latest escalation in the Trump administration’s ongoing confrontation with Harvard University. The White House has already cut billions in federal research funding and attempted to block foreign student enrollment after Harvard rejected government demands last April. Officials cite concerns about anti-Jewish bias on campus as justification for these measures.

Legal Battle Continues

Harvard has filed multiple lawsuits against the administration, arguing that they face illegal retaliation for refusing to adopt government ideological positions. Federal judges have issued orders siding with Harvard in both cases, though the administration is appealing these decisions. Tensions briefly eased over the summer when Trump suggested a deal was imminent, but negotiations collapsed when the president demanded one billion dollars from Harvard as part of any funding restoration agreement.