Harvard University on Monday blasted the Trump administration over its declaration that the Ivy League school may no longer pursue federal research grants, framing the plan to disqualify the university from this financial support as retaliatory.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon sent a blistering letter on Monday addressed to Harvard President Alan Garber, accusing the elite institution of “engaging in a systematic pattern of violating federal law,” and suggesting that it should therefore face consequences.

“This letter is to inform you that Harvard should no longer seek GRANTS from the federal government, since none will be provided,” she wrote. “Harvard will cease to be a publicly funded institution, and can instead operate as a privately-funded institution, drawing on its colossal endowment, and raising money from its large base of wealthy alumni.”

A senior Education Department official told CBS News this wouldn’t impact federal student loan funding and Pell grants.

In response to her letter, Harvard accused the White House of seeking “to illegally withhold funding for lifesaving research and innovation in retaliation against Harvard for filing its lawsuit.”

“Harvard will continue to comply with the law, promote and encourage respect for viewpoint diversity, and combat antisemitism in our community,” said a spokesperson for the university. “Harvard will also continue to defend against illegal government overreach aimed at stifling research and innovation that make Americans safer and more secure.”

McMahon accused Harvard of engaging “in ugly racism in its undergraduate and graduate schools, and even within the Harvard Law Review itself,” among other things.

McMahon’s letter also condemned the school’s admission requirements and its decision to previously bring on former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot as fellows at the T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

This is only the latest chapter in the showdown between Harvard and this White House.

Last week, Trump said he was planning to revoke Harvard’s tax-exempt status — a move the university said had “no legal basis.” This followed the institution’s decision to file a lawsuit against his administration after the government froze billions of dollars in federal grants under the pretext of fighting antisemitism on campus and so-called diversity, equity and inclusion practices.

Oral arguments in this case have been scheduled for July 21.