Education Secretary Linda McMahon insisted Tuesday the White House’s recent demands are not about curbing freedom of speech. In the wake of the administration’s threats, Harvard – an institution that is 140 years older than the US government – has begun touting the life-changing impacts of its federally funded research and spelled out in court documents how the Trump administration’s “unlawful” actions could impact not only the university’s employees and students,

According to a New York Times report, influential Harvard donors and board members have urged the school to cut a deal with Trump administration rather than feud over policy.

Harvard has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration in Massachusetts federal court after the feds froze more than $2 billion in grants to the Cambridge campus.