Trump Administration Cuts Columbia University Funding Over Antisemitism Concerns
Federal task force targets universities failing to address antisemitism, with Columbia facing $400 million in funding losses.
- The Trump administration's Joint Task Force to Combat Antisemitism has revoked $400 million in federal grants and contracts from Columbia University, citing inadequate actions against campus antisemitism.
- The task force, led by Leo Terrell, is evaluating schools on criteria such as hate crime evidence and compliance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
- Columbia has faced protests involving pro-Hamas materials, reported assaults, and arrests, prompting the university to suspend implicated students and pledge stronger actions against antisemitism.
- Internal tensions have arisen at Columbia as faculty members face grant cancellations, lab closures, and potential layoffs, with some pushing for legal action against the funding cuts.
- Other universities, such as UCLA and Cornell, are now taking steps to address antisemitic activities, including suspending student groups and disciplining individuals involved in disruptive protests.