Trump Reveals Potential $500M Harvard Deal, Schwarzman Aids Negotiations
Former US President Donald Trump has revealed a potential $500 million deal with Harvard University, with Stephen Schwarzman, a prominent Yale donor and CEO of Blackstone, aiding in negotiations. This announcement comes amidst ongoing discussions about the Trump administration's stance on universities.
Schwarzman, a Yale alumnus, has been connected to Trump in the past. He chaired Trump's business council in 2017 and endorsed him in 2020 and 2024. However, there's no evidence to suggest he played a role in negotiations between Harvard and the Trump administration during Trump's tenure.
Meanwhile, Yale has increased its lobbying efforts in Washington, spending $320,000 in the second quarter of 2025. This is a significant move, given the Trump administration's crackdown on universities, which has included increasing endowment taxation and investigating civil rights violations. Notably, Yale has been spared from direct funding threats, unlike Harvard and most other Ivy League institutions.
In 2015, Schwarzman donated $150 million to Yale, the second-largest donation in the University's history, to establish the Schwarzman Center. The center, which opened in 2021, features a renovated Commons dining hall, a theater, a dance studio, and a satellite location for the Good Life Center.
In April 2025, Harvard sued the Trump administration over funding demands and investigations. Yale and 23 other universities jointly filed a brief in support of Harvard's case.
The potential $500 million deal between Harvard and the Trump administration, facilitated by Schwarzman, remains under discussion. Schwarzman's connection to Trump has been a topic of conversation at Yale, given his past endorsements and business council chairmanship. Yale's increased lobbying efforts and its avoidance of direct funding threats under the Trump administration are also notable developments.
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