White House cuts $400 million in grants for Columbia — ‘this is just the beginning’
Columbia University faces the immediate loss of grants and contracts totaling about $400 million for failing to address antisemitism, a Trump administration task force said Friday.
The Justice Department task force to combat antisemitism, led by Leo Terrell, has been probing 10 institutions because of their responses to antisemitic incidents on campuses since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel. But Columbia, which faced intense scrutiny for its students’ high-profile antiwar encampment and building occupations last spring, is the first institution to have its grants and contracts frozen.
“Freezing the funds is one of the tools we are using to respond to this spike in antisemitism. This is only the beginning,” said Terrell, who also serves as senior counsel to the assistant attorney general for civil rights. “Canceling these taxpayer funds is our strongest signal yet that the Federal Government is not going to be party to an educational institution like Columbia that does not protect Jewish students and staff.” [Continue reading…]
History has shown that a strong democracy is what keeps Jews safest. At the core of strong democracies are free speech and education.
Trump's cancellation of $400M in grants to Columbia University, falsely in the name of Jewish safety, actively puts Jews in danger.
— Bend the Arc: Jewish Action (@jewishaction) March 7, 2025
Two things the US does the best on are universities and free speech. Now the Pro-Israel lobby is trying to destroy the former for not abandoning the latter. #AmericaFirst for sure!https://t.co/TjfRsmNX36
— Jonathan AC Brown (@JonathanACBrown) March 7, 2025
Reps. Jerry Nadler and Adriano Espaillat:
"Revoking federal grants to Columbia University isn’t about combating antisemitism… If the Trump administration were as serious about anti-Semitism as they claim, they would not have filled their ranks with unapologetic antisemites.” pic.twitter.com/9Q4s5nlzs3
— Jacob N. Kornbluh (@jacobkornbluh) March 7, 2025
In cutting $400 million in grants to Columbia University, Trump claims to be protecting Jews. I was just on the campus and didn't feel the least bit threatened. This is clearly about suppressing criticism of Israeli war crimes. https://t.co/DkJM8EDXvQ
— Kenneth Roth (@KenRoth) March 7, 2025