On Friday, President Donald Trump announced the cancellation of $400 million in grants and contracts to Columbia University in New York City, citing the institution’s failure to adequately address the ongoing harassment of Jewish students.
Gatekeepers News reports that this decision was confirmed by the General Services Administration, which issued a joint statement alongside the Department of Justice, the Department of Education, and the Department of Health and Human Services. The revoked funds are part of a larger pool of $5 billion in grants previously committed to Columbia.
Columbia University has been a focal point of campus protests, with demonstrators advocating for an end to U.S. support for Israel amid concerns over civilian casualties and the humanitarian crisis stemming from Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
These protests have raised allegations of antisemitism and Islamophobia, as tensions have escalated between opposing groups. The university has stated its commitment to combatting antisemitism on campus.
“Cancelling these taxpayer funds is our strongest signal yet that the federal government is not going to be party to an educational institution like Columbia that does not protect Jewish students and staff,” said Leo Terrell, who leads the Justice Department’s antisemitism task force.
