WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Harvard University said on Wednesday it may not seek $8.6 million in coronavirus stimulus money after an outcry led by U.S. President Donald Trump, who questioned whether the elite school needed the money.
The Cambridge, Massachusetts, university said on Tuesday it intended to use the money for direct assistance to needy students, but modified its position on Wednesday.
“Harvard has not applied for or received any funds from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund,” it said in a statement.
“We continue to review the additional guidance from the Department of Education related to the Fund and will make a determination as to whether we will seek to access the allocation that was made to Harvard by statute.”
At a press briefing on Tuesday, Trump cited Harvard’s ample endowment – worth nearly $41 billion – as the reason why it should not have the money.
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos piled on pressure in a statement on Wednesday.
“Schools with large endowments should not apply for funds so more can be given to students who need support the most. It’s also important for Congress to change the law to make sure no more taxpayer funds go to elite, wealthy institutions,” she said.
(Reporting by Steve Holland and Alexandra Alper; Editing by Richard Chang)
