The Trump administration’s antisemitism task force pulled $400 million in federal grants and contracts from Columbia University on Friday over increasing concerns regarding rampant antisemitism on campus since October 7, 2023.
Columbia has been the site of numerous anti-Israel protests in the past year, including a demonstration at Barnard College as recently as this week. Barnard is an all-women’s college affiliated with Columbia.
The joint task force to combat antisemitism — which includes the Departments of Justice, Health and Human Services, Education, and the General Services Administration — yanked the $400 million in federal funding as a form of accountability for the New York university’s failure to condemn or punish harassment against Jewish students.
“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,” Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, whose nomination was confirmed by the Senate this week, said in a statement.
“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.”
The administration’s plan was first reported by the Free Press.
Earlier this week, the task force said it notified Columbia’s interim president, Katrina Armstrong, about its forthcoming review of the university’s federal contracts and grants. The Trump administration was concerned about awarding a federally funded educational institution potentially in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which bars discrimination based on race, color, or national origin.
Columbia did not respond to the inquiry, the antisemitism task force said.
A Columbia spokesperson later revealed it is reviewing the federal government’s announcement and pledges to cooperate.
“We take Columbia’s legal obligations seriously and understand how serious this announcement is and are committed to combatting antisemitism and ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our students, faculty, and staff,” the spokesperson said.
The action came after President Donald Trump warned federal funding would be pulled if schools did not stop “illegal protests,” referring to the anti-Israel protests that have plagued American campuses for months.
The Republican administration previously vowed to pull $51.4 million in government contracts — well below the $400 million mark — from Columbia for failing to adequately discipline anti-Israel protesters targeting Jewish students. Columbia holds more than $5 billion in federal grant commitments, according to the task force. More funding cancellations are expected to follow.
Trump also threatened to arrest pro-Hamas “agitators” and deport foreign students to their home countries if they engage in such activities.
The State Department revoked the first visa of a foreign student tied to pro-Hamas demonstrations on Thursday after Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. would not tolerate terror supporters. The department is using artificial intelligence to parse through student visa holders’ social media accounts to determine whether they have expressed sympathies toward Hamas, according to reports.
At Barnard, anti-Israel students held protests inside two separate academic buildings since last week to call attention to the school’s expulsion of three students who expressed anti-Israel views and caused disruptions on campus.
Wednesday’s protest ended in the arrest of nine students who refused to exit the school library, despite being told there was an active bomb threat. Last week’s protest saw no arrests, but it did leave at least one employee hospitalized.
Last April, nearly four dozen Columbia students were arrested after forcibly seizing Hamilton Hall for 17 hours. Most of the charges were later dropped.
Jewish organization Columbia/Barnard Hillel, which has been urging Columbia and its sister college to promptly address antisemitism, praised the Trump administration’s decision to pull federal funding.
“I hope this federal action is a wake-up call to Columbia’s administration and trustees to take antisemitism and the harassment of Jewish students and faculty seriously,” said Executive Director Brian Cohen, “so that these grants can be restored, the vital work of the University can continue, and that Columbia can become, once again, a place where the Jewish community thrives.”
Besides Columbia, other elite American universities are under investigation over antisemitism allegations. Earlier this week, the Department of Justice opened a civil rights investigation across the University of California education system.