Last Friday, the Trump administration announced it would be cutting off $400 million in federal funding for Columbia University due to concerns over harassment faced by Jewish students on campus. The decision further heightened tensions between the administration and Columbia, following a series of protests last year over the war in Gaza. Those demonstrations ignited national debates over free speech, campus policing, and antisemitism, and inspired similar movements at universities across the country, according to The New York Times.
Allegations against Columbia included reports from Jewish students who said they experienced harassment, encountered offensive signs or chants at protests, or witnessed a downplaying of the severity of the 2023 Hamas terrorist attack against Israel. In an effort to quell the demonstrations, Columbia’s administration requested assistance from the New York Police Department, leading to the arrest of 109 individuals, mostly students, by officers in riot gear. The decision to involve law enforcement, however, was met with sharp criticism both publicly and within academic circles. Many faculty members, The Times noted, expressed horror over footage showing riot police detaining students.
This latest development is part of a broader pattern of Republican-led confrontations with higher education, particularly Ivy League institutions. Last year, the presidents of both Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania stepped down following contentious congressional hearings, many of which centered on issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
Newly confirmed Secretary of Education Linda McMahon warned that Columbia could face the permanent loss of federal funding if it failed to take decisive action against antisemitism on campus. The Columbia Spectator reported that more than a quarter of Columbia’s revenue comes from federal sources, with the National Institutes of Health serving as the university’s largest federal research funder. While Columbia’s endowment could potentially offset the financial shortfall, it remains uncertain whether the university will allocate those funds to cover the gap.
On the same Friday, McMahon met with Columbia’s interim president, Katrina Armstrong, and later described their discussion as “productive” in a social media post. Columbia, meanwhile, stated that it was reviewing the administration’s decision. A university spokeswoman assured that Columbia was committed to working with federal officials to restore the funding, according to The Free Press.
Despite these assurances, skepticism persists among many Jewish students on campus. Some believe their concerns are being politically weaponized, with Trump using the issue as leverage in his broader effort to challenge the influence of higher education. Others remain uncertain whether the funding cut will genuinely serve to combat antisemitism.
A similar incident occurred between Columbia and its sister college, Barnard, whose students occupied a Barnard campus library in protest, leading to nine arrests. According to The Columbia Spectator, all were charged with disorderly conduct trespassing, and obstructing governmental administration.
The funding cut adds another layer to the ongoing tensions between conservative leaders and elite universities, with Columbia caught in the middle. While the school says it’s working to restore federal support, questions remain about how it will balance political pressure with student concerns. For now, the debate over free speech, campus protests, and antisemitism isn’t going anywhere.
