Trump cuts $400m in grants to Columbia over antisemitism concerns

The Trump administration canceled $400 million in grants to Columbia University on Friday, citing the school's failure to protect Jewish students from antisemitism on campus, according to a statement on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website.

The decision followed an investigation by a Joint Task Force comprising the Justice Department, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Education, and the U.S. General Services Administration. It stated that the funding cuts were due to "the school's continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students."

The task force was formed on February 3, after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on January 29 introducing additional measures to combat antisemitic harassment in schools and on college campuses.

The statement did not specify which grants and contracts would be affected but indicated the cuts would come from more than $5 billion in grants currently allocated to Columbia University.

Trump warned in a social media post Tuesday that he would pull funding from schools and universities that allow "illegal protests."

"All Federal Funding will STOP for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests. Agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came. American students will be permanently expelled or, depending on the crime, arrested," he said.

Linda McMahon, the newly confirmed U.S. education secretary, issued a statement on the cancellation of federal grants, implying that Columbia had not complied with federal anti-discrimination laws.

"Since October 7, Jewish students have faced relentless violence, intimidation and antisemitic harassment on their campuses – only to be ignored by those who are supposed to protect them," McMahon said in the statement. "Universities must comply with all federal anti-discrimination laws if they are going to receive federal funding. For too long, Columbia has abandoned that obligation to Jewish students studying on its campus. Today, we demonstrate to Columbia and other universities that we will not tolerate their appalling inaction any longer."

Since October 7, 2023, Hamas and Israel have been engaged in a fierce conflict that has killed over 46,000 Palestinians in Gaza and caused unprecedented destruction. The conflict began after Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing Israelis and taking hostages.

Columbia University was at the epicenter of a series of pro-Palestine protests against Israel and the war in Gaza in April 2024. Students set up tents and encampments on the campus lawn, sparking nationwide pro-Palestine demonstrations that ultimately led to many student arrests.

Samantha Slater, a Columbia spokesperson, said school staff "pledge to work with the federal government to restore Columbia's federal funding."

"We take Columbia's legal obligations seriously and understand how serious this announcement is and are committed to combating antisemitism and ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our students, faculty, and staff," her statement said.

"While initial steps have been taken to address these issues, they are broadly insufficient. This move by the federal government hurts all of us, including numerous Jewish graduate students and workers at Columbia who are supported by federal funding. We hope that Columbia responds accordingly in order to prevent further cuts," student group Columbia Jewish & Israeli Students said in a statement.

The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) said Friday's announcement of immediate funding cuts was a misuse of the law to punish political speech.

"It is unconstitutional and unprecedented, but it is entirely consistent with Trump's long-held desire to silence views with which he disagrees and clamp down on protest," NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman said in a statement. "Protected political speech should not be a basis for punishment, and Title VI must be applied consistently with the First Amendment."

In addition to Columbia, the Trump administration has said it will review Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, New York University, Northwestern University and other prestigious institutions for antisemitism.

The administration is also drafting an executive order to initiate the process of shutting down the Department of Education.