Pentagon Cuts Ties with ‘Woke’ Harvard, No Military Training, Fellowships/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The Pentagon announced it is ending all military training and fellowship programs with Harvard University. Defense officials said the Ivy League school no longer aligns with the military’s needs or values. The move escalates the Trump administration’s broader conflict with elite universities.
Pentagon Cuts Harvard Military Programs – Quick Looks
- Pentagon ends training, fellowships, and certificates at Harvard
- Decision takes effect beginning the 2026–27 academic year
- Defense Secretary cites ideological concerns
- Current students allowed to complete coursework
- Other Ivy League programs under review
- Dispute tied to broader Trump-Harvard standoff
Deep Look: Pentagon Cuts Ties with ‘Woke’ Harvard, No Military Training, Fellowships
The Pentagon announced it is severing longstanding ties with Harvard University, ending all military training programs, fellowships, and professional certificates offered through the Ivy League institution.
The decision marks the latest escalation in the Trump administration’s prolonged confrontation with Harvard over governance, ideology, and campus culture. Defense officials said the move reflects growing dissatisfaction with what they describe as a disconnect between the university’s academic environment and the needs of the US military.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a statement that Harvard no longer serves the interests of the armed forces. He criticized the university for what he characterized as an ideological shift that undermines military readiness.
“For years, this department sent some of our most talented officers to Harvard expecting them to gain strategic insight,” Hegseth said. “Instead, too many returned influenced by globalist and radical ideologies that do not strengthen our fighting force.”
In a separate post on X, Hegseth summarized the administration’s position bluntly, writing that Harvard is “woke” while the War Department is not.
Under the new policy, the Pentagon will discontinue graduate-level professional military education programs, fellowships, and certificate offerings at Harvard beginning with the 2026–27 academic year. Military personnel currently enrolled will be allowed to complete their coursework, according to the department.
Hegseth said similar arrangements at other Ivy League universities will be reviewed in the coming weeks, suggesting the Harvard decision could signal broader changes in how the military partners with elite civilian institutions.
The announcement carries symbolic weight for Hegseth, who earned a master’s degree from Harvard earlier in his career. In 2022, while working as a Fox News commentator, he publicly returned his diploma during a televised segment, writing “Return to Sender” on it. A Pentagon social media account resurfaced the clip following Friday’s announcement.
The US military has traditionally offered officers opportunities to pursue advanced education both through service-run war colleges and at civilian universities. While degrees from prestigious schools like Harvard may not directly accelerate military promotion, they often enhance career prospects after service, particularly in the private sector.
Harvard has emerged as a central target in President Donald Trump’s broader campaign to reshape higher education. The administration has already cut billions of dollars in federal research funding to the university and attempted to block it from enrolling international students after Harvard rejected a series of government demands last year.
The White House has argued that the measures are a response to Harvard’s failure to adequately address antisemitism on campus. University leaders contend the administration is engaging in unlawful retaliation for refusing to adopt its ideological agenda.
Harvard has filed two lawsuits challenging the administration’s actions. In both cases, a federal judge ruled in the university’s favor, though the administration is appealing those decisions.
Tensions briefly appeared to ease over the summer, when Trump suggested a deal to restore funding was imminent. That agreement never materialized, and earlier this week the president escalated demands, calling for Harvard to pay $1 billion as part of any settlement—double the amount previously sought.
The Pentagon’s decision to cut ties adds another dimension to the standoff, signaling that the dispute now extends beyond education policy into the realm of national defense and military training.
You must Register or Login to post a comment.