Harvard is "in violent violation" of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, the federal government’s Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism said Monday in a letter threatening to cut all the university's federal funding if changes aren't made.

The actions were taken in the name of antisemitism, as the Trump administration claimed Harvard failed to protect Jewish students, particularly in the wake of the war in Gaza. Harvard rejected the administration’s demands and set the stage for a historic showdown.

Harvard’s public pledges to improve its disciplinary framework for harassment and misconduct are inadequate to meaningfully address these serious findings,” HHS Office for Civil Rights Director Paula Stannard said.