The sum sought by the government is more than twice as much as the $200 million fine that Columbia University said it would pay when it settled its clash with the White House last week.

Another insight you will glean in a Harvard negotiation class is to grasp your opponent’s interests. In Mr Trump’s practice, this means bagging a deal and bragging about it. He wrote a whole book on the topic. It could go on a syllabus. ■

The Trump administration is pressing for a deal with Harvard University that would require the Ivy League school pay far more than the $200 million fine agreed to by Columbia University, according to two people familiar with the matter.