Northwestern University agreed to pay $75 million to resolve a federal investigation and restore its access to research funding, the institution said in a settlement with the Trump administration. The payment will end probes tied to compliance and research practices that had threatened the university’s federal grants. University leadership negotiated the settlement to protect ongoing sponsored projects and preserve relationships with federal agencies; the sum is the second‑largest school payment reported under the administration’s pressure campaign. The settlement removes an immediate funding risk for labs and graduate programs but raises governance questions about institutional oversight and federal enforcement tactics.