The Trump administration announced the cancellation of approximately $400 million in federal grants and contracts to Columbia University, citing allegations of antisemitic harassment on and around its New York City campus.
The decision, revealed in a joint statement by the Departments of Justice, Education, Health and Human Services, and the General Services Administration, did not specify which grants were affected or provide detailed evidence of the alleged harassment.
The cuts, which the administration claims are part of over $5 billion in federal funding currently allocated to Columbia, primarily impact healthcare and scientific research. However, legal challenges are expected, with civil rights groups arguing that the move violates due process and punishes constitutionally protected speech.
Columbia University has been a focal point of recent student-led pro-Palestinian protests, with demonstrators demanding the institution divest from companies supporting Israel’s military operations. The campus has also seen counter-protests and accusations of antisemitism, Islamophobia, and racism from both sides.
In response to the funding cut, Columbia pledged to work with federal authorities to restore its grants, emphasising its commitment to combating antisemitism and maintaining campus safety. The New York Civil Liberties Union criticised the move as an unconstitutional effort to suppress political speech.
Jewish organisations expressed mixed reactions. Columbia’s Hillel welcomed the decision as a necessary wake-up call, while J Street warned that the action could undermine efforts to address antisemitism and lead to excessive restrictions on free speech in academic institutions.