Harvard president takes 25 percent pay cut amid funding battle with Trump

Harvard President Alan Garber has decided to take a 25 percent pay cut as the university faces multiple financial hits in its battle with the Trump administration. 

A spokesperson confirmed Wednesday that Garber will take the voluntary pay cut for the next financial year from July 2025 to June 2026.  

His financial package was not disclosed, but the reduction is largely a symbolic move compared with the $2.5 billion dollars in federal funding that has been paused by President Trump.  

The Trump administration has also cut off all new research funding from Harvard, with Education Secretary Linda McMahon telling Garber, "Harvard should no longer seek GRANTS from the federal government, since none will be provided.” 

Harvard has already made multiple moves to offset costs, such as announcing a pause on hiring in March and pausing merit-based raises for some nonunion faculty.  

The Harvard Crimson was the first to report on Garber's pay cut.  

In 2020, he also voluntarily reduced his compensation by 25 percent due to the financial hit Harvard took from the pandemic. 

In response to the financial pressure from the Trump administration, Harvard has also expanded its lawsuit against the federal government over the original $2.2 billion in funding that was cut in April. 

The university added the additional $450 million in funding cut on Tuesday to its legal battle, with the next hearing in the case set for July. 

Harvard said the federal government “ratcheted up funding cuts, investigations, and threats that will hurt students from every state in the country and around the world” in its amended complaint.