War Department Cuts Ties: Hegseth Ends Military Education at Harvard

In a move that significantly escalates the conflict between the Trump administration and elite academia, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced on Friday, February 6, 2026, that the Pentagon is terminating all academic ties with Harvard University.

Effective with the 2026-2027 academic year, the Department will cease all graduate-level Professional Military Education (PME), fellowships, and certificate programs for active-duty service members at the institution. Hegseth, a Harvard alumnus himself, labeled the university a center of “woke ideology” and “hate-America activism.”

The Terms of the Severance

The directive represents a major shift in how the U.S. military develops its future senior leadership:

• Scope: The policy covers all War Department-funded programs at Harvard. Service members currently enrolled will be allowed to finish their courses, but no new enrollments will be authorized.
• Review of Other Schools: Hegseth signaled that this is likely the first of many such moves, stating that the Pentagon will evaluate similar relationships with other Ivy League and high-cost universities to see if they are “cost-effective” compared to public universities or military-run graduate programs.
• Ideological Justification: Hegseth argued that officers were returning from Harvard with “heads full of globalist and radical ideologies” rather than focusing on “lethality” and “deterrence.”

The $1 Billion Standoff

The Pentagon’s announcement coincides with a massive financial dispute between President Trump and Harvard leadership:

• The $1 Billion Demand: On February 3, 2026, President Trump announced on Truth Social that he is now seeking $1 billion in damages from Harvard to settle various federal probes into its policies on antisemitism, diversity, and foreign influence.
• Prior Negotiations: This is a sharp increase from a reported $200 million settlement offer that was previously on the table. Trump dismissed reports that he was backing down, calling the university’s conduct “heinous.”
• Legal Context: This battle follows a September 2025 ruling by U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs, who found that the administration’s earlier attempt to freeze $2 billion in research grants to Harvard was an unlawful violation of the First Amendment. The administration is currently appealing that decision.

Comparison: Other University Settlements

While Harvard has chosen a path of legal resistance, other prestigious institutions have reached multi-million dollar agreements with the administration to restore their federal funding:

Harvard’s refusal to accept a cash settlement or adopt the administration’s mandated reforms has left it as the primary target of the White House’s “higher education overhaul.”