- The Trump administration has canceled $400 million in grants to Columbia University, alleging the university’s inaction on antisemitic harassment around campus. The U.S. Department of Education said additional funding cuts are expected.
- Before the White House’s announcement, the university had reportedly established a new disciplinary committee to investigate critics of Israel who attend the school.
- The controversy follows protests and alleged incidents of harassment on campus related to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
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The Trump administration is canceling $400 million in grants and contracts to Columbia University, alleging harassment of Jewish students on campus. This is the first round of cuts, and “additional cancellations are expected to follow,” a news release from the U.S. Department of Education states.
The Trump administration says Columbia University has failed to take action on antisemitic harassment on campus.
“Since October 7, Jewish students have faced relentless violence, intimidation, and anti-Semitic harassment on their campuses – only to be ignored by those who are supposed to protect them,” Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement. “Universities must comply with all federal anti-discrimination laws if they are going to receive federal funding.”
However, before the White House’s announcement, Columbia University had reportedly established a new disciplinary committee to investigate critics of Israel who attend the school.
Where do the allegations of antisemitism come from?
In the spring of 2024, pro-Palestinian protests and encampments took shape on college campuses over the Israel-Hamas war. They include at Columbia, UCLA, Harvard and others.
Jewish students said the protesters harassed, threatened and prevented them from getting to class, causing them to fear for their safety.
On April 30, nearly 100 people were arrested on Columbia’s campus after protesters took over an academic building and barricaded themselves inside.
While the Trump administration contends that the protesters were antisemitic, and Columbia says harassment did occur, many protesters were Jewish, leading to debate about how widespread antisemitism was.
Trump’s executive order targeting antisemitism on campus
Shortly after Trump took office, he signed an executive order, prompting the Department of Justice to form a multi-agency task force to investigate antisemitism in schools and on college campuses.
How has Columbia responded?
Earlier this week, Columbia confirmed four students who participated in a pro-Palestinian protest were arrested and suspended after a demonstration and fake bomb threat was called into Columbia’s Barnard College in New York City on Tuesday, March 4. Barnard is a women’s college part of Columbia’s university system.
“These students have been suspended and restricted from campus as we swiftly work through the discipline process,” Columbia officials said. “We are a campus community governed by our rules, policies, and the law. Any violations of these will not be tolerated and will have consequences.”
In response to the funding cuts, Columbia’s interim president released a statement saying in part:
“There is no question that the cancellation of these funds will immediately impact research and other critical functions of the university, impacting students, faculty, staff, research, and patient care.
But let me be very clear: Columbia is taking the government’s action very seriously. I want to assure the entire Columbia community that we are committed to working with the federal government to address their legitimate concerns. To that end, Columbia can, and will, continue to take serious action toward combating antisemitism on our campus.”
