American University was one of 24 public and private research universities to file an amicus court brief on June 9 in support of Harvard University’s lawsuit against President Donald Trump administration’s rollback of federal research funding.
The ongoing lawsuit was filed on April 21 by Harvard, according to Harvard Magazine. The administration’s freeze on their research funds went into effect on April 14, halting at least $2.2 billion in research grants and $60 million in contracts to Harvard, according to The New York Times.
“Research with impact is a core pillar of American University’s mission,” Elizabeth Deal, assistant vice president and deputy chief communications officer, wrote in a comment to The Eagle when asked about AU signing on to the brief.
According to the American Cornerstone Institute, an amicus brief is submitted to a court by individuals or organizations that are interested in a pending case but not directly involved. “Amicus” means “friend of the court” in Latin. This brief was filed with the district court of Massachusetts.
The brief emphasizes scientific contributions U.S. universities have made — such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology's advancement of radar technology during World War II, and argues that federally funded academic research has made the country a global leader.
“For decades, these institutions have competed for and received federal funding for scientific research,” the brief reads. “They have leveraged those resources, along with investments of their own, to advance scientific knowledge and thereby make Americans more prosperous, healthy, and secure.”
On June 20, AU President Jonathan Alger explained AU’s involvement with the brief in a community-wide statement.
“We continue to collaborate with other universities and higher education coalitions in collective action to advance the core principles of academic freedom, inquiry, and access to educational opportunities,” Alger wrote.
Signing onto this brief is not AU’s first display of solidarity with other higher education institutions in opposition to actions taken by the Trump administration.
On April 22, the day after Harvard filed its lawsuit, Alger joined over 150 other institutions in signing a statement with the American Association of Colleges and Universities. The statement called for a unified response to government overreach into higher education. As of June 20, there are 657 signatures.
Regarding the brief, Deal wrote, “This work is part of our ongoing collective action to advance key principles — such as academic freedom and access to education opportunities — which included the AACU letter signed by more than 650 institutions.”
The same day Alger signed on to the American Association of Colleges and Universities statement, he released a Spring 2025 Federal Policy Update that emphasized support for AU faculty and staff partaking in federally funded research.
Since the start of Trump’s second term, Alger has continuously released various statements — called Federal Government Updates — where he’s reiterated that AU “embraces freedom of thought and inquiry,” and that AU is committed “to public service and the public good.”
While the University achieved R1 status in February, which designated AUy as a nationally-recognized prestigious research institution, the exact amount of federal research funds the University receives is not publicized.
The brief also asks the court to grant a motion for summary judgement, which is when a party argues that there can be no legitimate dispute about the facts at hand, according to Bloomberg Law. It is a request for the court to determine if a trial is actually necessary.
Other institutions in the D.C., Maryland and Virginia area that signed the brief include Georgetown University, John Hopkins University, University of Maryland, Baltimore County and University of Maryland, College Park.
Trump’s funding freeze came as retaliation for Harvard’s refusal to comply with a list of demands sent via letter on April 11. The demands expressed concerns over antisemitism and diversity policies at the University. Trump officials later said the letter was mistakenly sent.
Harvard’s lawsuit argues that the Trump administration’s actions violate the First Amendment and the institution’s sovereignty to determine its own “procedures for curtailing campus violations of civil rights, such as antisemitism,” Harvard Magazine reported.
In a community wide email on April 21, Harvard President Alan M. Garber referenced the University’s lifesaving scientific and medical research that was jeopardized by the freeze. According to Harvard Medical School, over $2 billion in federal grants and contracts go towards Harvard Medical School and affiliated hospitals per year.
Columbia University is also among the major institutions directly targeted by the Trump administration, yet has had a different response than Harvard. On March 7, the Trump administration antisemitism task force cut $400 million in grants and contracts to Columbia. In the wake of the freeze, Columbia laid off nearly 180 people.
On June 22, 16 Republican-led states also filed an amicus brief, but in support of the Trump administration’s lawsuit. The brief claimed that the freezes were proper punishment for the claims of antisemitism on Harvard’s campus.
It is unclear where Harvard’s lawsuit against Trump may lead. On June 20, Trump claimed that a possible settlement between the White House and Harvard was in the works, making the announcement through a post on Truth Social. No official information has been released.
This article was edited by Cara Halford, Abigail Hatting, Neil Lazurus and Walker Whalen. Copy editing done by Sabine Kanter-Huchting.
