“LONG OVERDUE,” Secretary of War Hegseth says as Pentagon ends Harvard military education ties
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon will cut academic ties with Harvard University and end professional military education, fellowships and certificate programs connected to the school beginning with the 2026–27 academic year, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced, calling the Ivy League institution “woke” and arguing it no longer aligns with the military’s training needs.
File this under: LONG OVERDUE
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) February 6, 2026
The @DeptWar is formally ending ALL Professional Military Education, fellowships, and certificate programs with Harvard University.
Harvard is woke; The War Department is not. pic.twitter.com/0kpsvivtsQ
“File this under: LONG OVERDUE … The @DeptWar is formally ending ALL Professional Military Education, fellowships, and certificate programs with Harvard University. Harvard is woke; The War Department is not.”
The decision would halt future participation by military officers and other Defense Department personnel in Harvard-affiliated programs used for advanced education and leadership development, starting with the next academic cycle. Officials said current participants will generally be allowed to complete their programs, but new enrollments would be blocked under the policy change.
Hegseth and administration officials framed the move as part of a broader effort to steer military education away from what they describe as ideological training at elite universities. In public comments and in the announcement, Hegseth argued the military should prioritize warfighting readiness and “lethality,” while criticizing Harvard’s campus climate and governance.
The announcement also lands amid wider conflict between the Trump administration and major U.S. universities, including disputes over federal funding, campus protests and antisemitism allegations, and demands tied to diversity initiatives and governance reforms. Harvard has pushed back in court in prior clashes and has argued it is addressing discrimination while defending its institutional independence.
Beyond the symbolism, the decision is likely to have practical effects for officers who have used Harvard programs as part of senior professional development and for Harvard centers that host national security and public leadership fellowships. Some Harvard-affiliated fellowship pages have already indicated they are not accepting applications for the 2026–27 academic year.
The Pentagon signaled the Harvard decision may not be the last, with reporting indicating the department is reviewing similar arrangements across other Ivy League and civilian universities to determine whether they should continue.
