The Trump administration announced Friday that it is cutting off $400 million in federal grants and contracts to Columbia University, citing the school’s failure to protect Jewish students from antisemitic harassment.
The decision, made by multiple federal agencies, comes just days after the administration launched an investigation into the university. The move follows months of protests and campus tensions related to the Israel-Gaza war, which officials say created a hostile environment for Jewish students.
Under federal law, universities cannot discriminate based on shared national ancestry, which includes Jewish heritage. Trump officials argue that Columbia’s handling of antisemitic incidents and protests violates these protections.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon cited pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel protests on campus since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel as part of the administration’s reasoning for the funding cutoff.
“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,” McMahon said.
Trump has made it clear since taking office that he intends to target universities he sees as being overly liberal and failing to combat antisemitism.
The administration has also:
- Cut funding tied to research grants
- Launched investigations into multiple universities
- Pushed Republicans to consider raising federal taxes on university endowments
Columbia University has acknowledged the funding cutoff and is now reviewing the announcement. University spokesperson Samantha Slater said Columbia is committed to fighting antisemitism and will work with the federal government to address concerns.
“We take Columbia’s legal obligations seriously and understand how serious this announcement is,” Slater said.
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