Harvard University's endowment is in advanced talks to sell private equity fund interests totaling about $1 billion amid financial uncertainty and President Donald Trump's threats to cut federal funding,

The sale process started last year and is unrelated to threats of funding cuts from U.S. President Donald Trump, the person said, requesting anonymity as the matter was private.

The president of Harvard on Wednesday defended the university’s decision to sue the Trump administration, adding that the institution “cannot compromise” on core principles like the First Amendment. Harvard took legal action against the Trump administration on Monday over the government’s decision to freeze over $2 billion in federal funding meant for the university after it refused to make the reforms it ordered.