“Harvard can win in the courtroom but still lose almost everything it’s fought for,” said Allison Wu, the co-founder of the 1636 Forum, a Harvard alumni community named for the year the university was founded, who supports the university’s case.

Harvard University has appeared in federal court, challenging $2.6 billion in funding cuts by the Trump administration.

Harvard University is in federal court in its ongoing battle with the Trump administration over more than $2 billon in government funding halted by the White House in spring.

Lawyers for the Trump administration sparred with Harvard, Planned Parenthood and the American Association of University Professors on Monday at Boston's Moakley Courthouse over funding, free speech and more.

Though Hajjar concedes that the Trump administration “has overstepped on some of its demands,” she advocates that Harvard cave in other respects — for example, by avoiding discussions around controversial issues like “equity” — because “the White House can make life even more difficult for Harvard.”