According to American media, this decision will take effect at the beginning of the 2026-2027 academic year. Service members who are already participating in training will be able to complete it, but the enrollment of new students will be halted.
Pete Hegseth characterized Harvard as a "breeding ground for globalist and radical ideologies," which he believes contradict the goals of the U.S. Armed Forces.
"Too many of our officers return with views similar to those of Harvard graduates — with ideas filled with globalist and radical concepts. We are training warriors, not activists," the Secretary of Defense stated.
As of September 2025, over 100 cadets and midshipmen, as well as 78 veterans, were studying at Harvard.
Interestingly, Pete Hegseth himself is a Harvard alumnus, where he earned a master's degree in public policy.
The Pentagon noted that this decision to terminate programs at Harvard will be part of a broader initiative to reassess military training at civilian universities. Such a review may also affect other prestigious educational institutions.
This measure is another step in the ongoing conflict between the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump and the leading universities in the country. Previously, the government threatened Harvard with the suspension of federal grants and contracts worth billions of dollars, demanding changes in institutional policy and initiating several investigations into the university.
