Pentagon ends all Harvard military programs over "woke" ideology

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the decision on February 6, 2026, during a Friday news conference. For years, the Pentagon sent officers to Harvard for graduate programs in public policy, international relations, and national security studies. Starting in fall 2026, that ends. Officers currently enrolled can complete their degrees, but no new cohorts will attend Harvard.

The programs being terminated include graduate-level professional military education, fellowships at the Kennedy School of Government, and certificate programs. The Pentagon funds these programs completely. It pays officers' full tuition, covers their housing costs, and continues their military salaries while they study. Officers remain on active duty throughout their time at Harvard.

Hegseth framed the decision in explicitly ideological terms. He said Harvard officers return with 'heads full of globalist and radical ideologies that do not improve our fighting ranks.' In a statement, he wrote 'For too long, this department has sent our best and brightest officers to Harvard, hoping the university would better understand and appreciate our warrior class.' He added the Pentagon trains 'warriors, not wokesters.'

The decision follows President Trump's escalating pressure on Harvard and other elite universities. On February 3, 2026, Trump demanded $1 billion from Harvard as part of any deal to restore federal research funding. The administration has targeted universities over pro-Palestinian protests against Israel's assault on Gaza, diversity and inclusion programs, transgender policies, and climate change initiatives.

Hegseth announced he'll evaluate similar programs at other Ivy League universities in coming weeks. The Pentagon currently funds military education programs at Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Cornell, Brown, Dartmouth, and the University of 🔔Pennsylvania. If Hegseth applies the same 'woke ideology' standard to other schools, he could end Pentagon funding for multiple elite university programs.

The decision demonstrates cabinet secretaries' power to reshape higher education through spending decisions. Congress appropriates the Pentagon's total education budget, but the Defense Secretary decides which specific universities receive funding. Hegseth can redirect Harvard's funding to other schools without needing congressional approval or new legislation. This gives executive branch agencies direct leverage over universities' policies.

The timeline protects current students but creates uncertainty for future military officers. Personnel who've already started programs at Harvard can finish their degrees. But officers selected for Harvard programs in 2026-27 must now choose different schools. The Pentagon hasn't announced which universities will receive the redirected funding or whether it'll shift to other civilian schools or military war colleges.

Harvard's Kennedy School of Government has educated generations of military leaders in strategic thinking, international relations, and national security policy. These programs give officers exposure to civilian academic perspectives on defense policy. They also create professional networks with future diplomats, policymakers, and business leaders. Ending the programs removes Harvard's influence on officer education while eliminating officers' exposure to civilian analytical frameworks on military power.