The Trump administration has escalated its dispute with Harvard University by threatening to seize ownership of patents valued at hundreds of millions of dollars. On August 8, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick sent a letter to Harvard President Alan Garber accusing the university of failing to comply with legal obligations under the Bayh-Dole Act related to federally funded research. This noncompliance could allow the federal government to take control of or grant licenses for Harvard's lucrative patent portfolio. The administration has initiated a comprehensive review and the "march-in" process concerning Harvard's federally funded research programs. This move is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration, which recently issued an executive order granting its appointees authority over all U.S. federal research funding. The investigation and potential takeover represent a notable escalation in tensions between the federal government and one of the nation's oldest academic institutions.