Harvard University in the United States rejected several claims by US President Donald Trump's administration on Monday.

Harvard officials say the Trump administration's demands threaten the university's academic freedom. If granted, the Trump administration's demands would hand control of the university to a conservative government that has been portraying American universities as dangerously left-wing.

Hours after Harvard took this stance, the Trump administration announced that it was suspending $2.3 billion in federal funding for the university.

During the past 18 months, during the Gaza war, pro-Palestinian protests took place at various US universities. During this time, the Trump administration accused the campuses of various US universities of spreading anti-Semitism. In response to this accusation, the Trump administration last month said it would review Harvard's $9 billion in federal contracts and grants. Now, the Trump administration has announced that it will suspend Harvard's $2.3 billion in federal funding.

Harvard President Alan Garber wrote in an open letter yesterday that the demands made by the Education Department last week, if granted, would allow the federal government to take control of Harvard. These demands threaten Harvard's values ​​as a private educational institution dedicated to the pursuit, production, and dissemination of knowledge.

In the letter, Alan Garber also wrote that no government, regardless of which party is in power, should dictate what private universities can teach, who they can admit, who they can hire, or what areas of study and research they can pursue.