Promises Kept: Trump Administration Announces Immediate Cut of $400 Million in Federal Funding to Columbia University Citing School’s Failure to Address Rising Antisemitism on Campus

On Friday, the Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Education (ED), and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced the immediate recinding of $400 million in federal grants and contracts to Columbia University citing “inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students” by the university.

The statement shares:

Today, the Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Education (ED), and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced the immediate cancellation of approximately $400 million in federal grants and contracts to Columbia University due to the school’s continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students. These cancellations represent the first round of action and additional cancellations are expected to follow. The Task Force is continuing to review and coordinate across federal agencies to identify additional cancellations that could be made swiftly. DOJ, HHS, ED, and GSA are taking this action as members of the Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism. Columbia University currently holds more than $5 billion in federal grant commitments.

On March 3, the Task Force notified the Acting President of Columbia University that it would conduct a comprehensive review of the university’s federal contracts and grants  in light of ongoing investigations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. Chaos and anti-Semitic harassment have continued on and near campus in the days since. Columbia has not responded to the Task Force.

The Gateway Pundit reported that President Trump has vowed to put a stop to the antisemitic protests occurring on campuses and promised to cut off funds to colleges that allow this madness to continue.

On Tuesday, Trump foreshadowed the decision on Truth Social saying, “All Federal Funding will STOP for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests,” Trump wrote. “Agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country they came from.”

“American students will be permanently expelled or, depending on the crime, arrested,” he added. “NO MASKS! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said,“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.”

“Universities must comply with all federal antidiscrimination 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.”

Leo Terrell, Senior Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights and head of the DOJ Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism added,“Freezing the funds is one of the tools we are using to respond to this spike in anti-Semitism. This is only the beginning.”

“Cancelling 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.”

The statemtent continued:

The decisive action by the DOJ, HHS, ED, and GSA to cancel Columbia’s grants and contracts serves as a notice to every school and university that receives federal dollars that this Administration will use all the tools at its disposal to protect Jewish students and end anti-Semitism on college campuses.

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GSA will assist HHS and ED in issuing stop-work orders on grants and contracts that Columbia holds with those agencies. These stop-work orders will immediately freeze the university’s access to these funds. Additionally, GSA will be assisting all agencies in issuing stop work orders and terminations for contracts held by Columbia University.

“Doing business with the Federal Government is a privilege,” said Josh Gruenbaum, FAS Commissioner and Task Force member. “Columbia University, through their continued and shameful inaction to stop radical protestors from taking over buildings on campus and lack of response to the safety issues for Jewish students, and for that matter — all students — are not upholding the ideals of this Administration or the American people. Columbia cannot expect to retain the privilege of receiving federal taxpayer dollars if they will not fulfill their civil rights responsibilities to protect Jewish students from harassment and anti-Semitism.”

Pro-Hamas agitators have infected college campuses across the country, but protests have been paticularly vile at Columbia.

Protesters recently invaded a Jewish history class at the University with their faces covered with keffiyehs and passed out Hamas propoganda flyers.

In August 2024, students stormed and then occupied  Hamilton Hall after smashing windows, and fortifing their position by barricading doors and covering windows.

During the takover, a Columbia facilities worker was held against his will telling the Columbia Spectator, “They held me hostage.”

It isn’t just students partaking in the vile behavior.  In August, three Columbia deans exchanged disparaging text messages that the university president said “touched on ancient antisemitic tropes” during a forum about Jewish issues in May.

The announcement said the cancelled funds would come out of $5 billion in grants currently committed to Columbia.

Officials have signaled that the cuts are just the beginning.

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