Department of Education imposes $8 billion Harvard grant funding freeze

Ratcheting up a pre-existing battle between President Donald Trump's government and Harvard University, the Department of Education imposed an $8 billion Harvard grant funding freeze.

"Harvard will not be eligible for new federal government grants until they demonstrate responsible management of the university," Department of Education senior official announced on a conference call with reporters Monday.

Public confidence in the university is at an all-time low -- and Harvard has done nothing to stop antisemitism and discrimination on its campus, the official said.

It has also lost the academic excellence rigor and is now a left-wing institution that stifles "viewpoint diversity," the official said.

The freeze includes medical research funding, the senior official said.

The university is under a federal probe by some of the administration's agencies, including the Department of Education and the Health and Human Services Department. They are conducting investigations into reports of range from failure to disclose foreign gifts to discrimination on the basis of race within the Harvard Law Review.

The administration has also initiated an expansive antisemitism task force review, which froze last month 2.2 billion dollars of funding for the school.

To become compliant again with federal law, Harvard would need to come to terms with the administration, the senior official said.

No word was given on the tax-exempt status of the university, which Trump threatened to revoke on May 2.

A Harvard spokesperson told ABC News at the time that there is no "legal basis" to take back the university's tax-exempt status, and that it would compromise the school's ability to carry out its mission.