Trump cuts $400 million in grants to Columbia University over alleged failure to protect jewish students

The Trump administration on Friday announced the immediate cancellation of approximately $400 million in federal grants to Columbia University, citing the institution’s alleged failure to prevent harassment of Jewish students amid ongoing campus protests against Israel’s actions in Gaza.
In a joint statement, four government agencies said the decision was made in response to "the school's continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students." The cuts mark the first step in what officials warned could be broader action against the university, which currently receives around $5 billion in federal funding.
Trump’s warning on campus protests
Earlier this week, Trump vowed to withdraw federal funding from institutions that permit what he called “illegal protests.”
In a post on Truth Social, he wrote, “All Federal Funding will STOP for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests.” He also threatened harsh consequences for those involved, stating, “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.”
The decision to defund Columbia follows months of campus unrest, with protests intensifying after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. Demonstrations at Columbia and other universities have sparked accusations of anti-Semitism, particularly as clashes between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel students have led to disruptions and, at times, violence.
Columbia under federal scrutiny
Education Secretary Linda McMahon defended the administration’s move, stating that Jewish students have faced “relentless violence, intimidation, and anti-Semitic harassment” since October 7. “Universities must comply with all federal anti-discrimination laws if they are going to receive federal funding,” she said. “For too long, Columbia has abandoned that obligation to Jewish students. Today, we demonstrate to Columbia and other universities that we will not tolerate their appalling inaction any longer.”
Columbia University has yet to respond to the funding cuts.
Meanwhile, the Department of Justice last month launched a multi-agency task force to address anti-Semitism, with its first priority being to investigate and combat harassment on college campuses.