"A message on Saturday, "from Linda McMahon, President Trump’s education secretary, conveyed an understanding of an emerging deal between Harvard and the White House that flew in the face of the terms the university had been insisting on," wrote Schmidt. Harvard President Alan Garber "felt he had made clear in recent negotiations that the university would not agree to pay the federal government to settle a monthslong battle with the Trump administration over antisemitism on campus and other matters." However, McMahon's message "thanked Dr. Garber for what she portrayed as his commitment to sending $200 million to the government as part of a deal." The president has previously suggested Harvard will agree to invest $500 million in a giant nationwide network of AI-focused trade schools. Administration negotiators, however, want $200 million of that to be a civil fine to the government, which Harvard rejects. When Garber pointed out Harvard hadn't agreed to the $200 million payment, per the report, Trump administration officials responded with a set of new terms that would give them greater oversight over Harvard and erode the university's academic independence, alarming school officials and causing further divides on how to get the deal resolved."