Harvard University is facing backlash after a congressional probe revealed years-long partnerships with organisations tied to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).The revelation sparked concerns over foreign influence and national security risks.According to documents obtained by the Washington Free Beacon, the Ivy League institution allegedly collaborated with CCP-controlled entities for over a decade.The foreign bodies included the Central Organisation Department, the powerful organ responsible for training and selecting China’s top officials.A general focus of the investigation is the Harvard Kennedy School’s partnership with the Chinese Executive Leadership Academy Pudong, a government-run training school.Whistleblowers have claimed that Chinese government and party officials were sent to Harvard as part of their official education, prompting bipartisan alarm.“Harvard’s formal partnership with a CCP-controlled school to train their future leaders raises serious concerns about the CCP’s influence in American institutions,” said representative John Moolenaar.“We are committed to uncovering the full extent of these relationships to ensure transparency and protect national interests,” he added.Furthermore, representatives Tim Walberg and Elise Stefanik co-signed a letter accusing Harvard of working directly with groups formed by CCP ideology, particularly “Xi Jinping Thought”.The scandal adds to mounting pressure on the university, which is reportedly considering $500 million payout to settle disputes with US President Donald Trump and his administration over alleged campus anti-Semitism and its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies.In April, the Free Beacon also reported that Harvard had trained members of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, a paramilitary group sanctioned by the US for its involvement in the repression of Uyghur Muslims.Congress has given Harvard until August 7 to turn over all records tied to its dealings with CCP-linked bodies, including financial or material exchanges.
Trump-Harvard row
Harvard University and the Trump administration have been at odds since the MAGA chief assumed office in January. In April 2025, the administration froze approximately $2.2–2.6 billion in federal research funding and revoked Harvard’s certification to host international students, citing alleged failures to tackle antisemitic harassment and ideological bias. In response, Harvard filed lawsuits claiming federal overreach and threats to academic freedom. Earlier this week, reports surfaced that the White House had proposed a settlement of up to $500 million, but Harvard President Alan Garber denied any imminent agreement, calling the figure false and leaked by administration sources. He emphasised that any deal must not compromise the university’s freedom to govern academic affairs independently.The battle has drawn intense scrutiny from faculty, students, alumni, and congressional Democrats. On Friday, fourteen Democratic legislators—many of them Harvard alumni—warned that any settlement under political pressure could prompt a congressional investigation, arguing that yielding to the White House risks setting a dangerous precedent for institutional autonomy across US higher education.Meanwhile, faculty groups have continued to mobilise, demanding red lines on issues such as external monitoring, data-sharing, and control over admissions and hiring.
