Columbia University Yields to Trump Administration After $400 Million Funding Threat Over Antisemitism Response
Columbia University has capitulated to demands from the Trump administration after facing the potential loss of $400 million in federal funding. The move comes in response to mounting criticism over the university’s handling of what officials described as rampant antisemitism on campus.
As part of its concessions, Columbia has agreed to enforce a ban on masks during protests and has empowered campus police to make arrests at increasingly hostile anti-Israel demonstrations, according to The New York Post. The university is also bringing in new leadership to review the curriculum within the Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies department, as well as the Center for Palestine Studies.
In a campus-wide memo, Interim President Katrina Armstrong announced the sweeping changes, framing them as part of a broader effort to ensure safety and inclusivity for all students—though she notably did not directly address the concerns of Jewish students.
“This past year has marked significant progress,” Armstrong wrote. “Our community of thoughtful faculty, students, and stakeholders has worked together to meet the moment’s challenges with principle and purpose.”
She emphasized that the university’s response to federal agencies reflects “substantive work” done over the academic year to maintain uninterrupted learning and foster a safe campus environment.
“We have much to be proud of,” Armstrong continued. “We welcome robust debate and discussion as we shape the future of Columbia together. The way our institution has been portrayed is difficult to accept, but it does not define us.”
Despite recent backlash, Armstrong underscored Columbia’s commitment to academic freedom, free expression, and mutual respect.
Meanwhile, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. weighed in on the controversy earlier this month, condemning what he described as a culture of censorship and “woke cancel culture” that has plagued higher education.
“Antisemitism—like racism—is a spiritual and moral disease,” Kennedy stated. “In recent years, false narratives have transformed our great universities into incubators for this virulent and deadly ideology.”