[News] Trump cuts $400 million to Columbia Uni. over pro-Palestine protests

[Anti-Imperialist News]

english.almayadeen.net
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/trump-cuts--400-million-to-columbia-uni--over-pro-palestine>
Trump cuts $400 million to Columbia Uni. over pro-Palestine protests
Al Mayadeen English
March 8, 2025
------------------------------

The budget cuts comes amid the Trump admin's crackdown on pro-Palestine
protests, which he labelled as "illegal" protests, and accused participants
of anti-semitism.
[image: 28255bf1-1d2d-4474-9bcd-0fd6f2b892fa.jpg]

   - A student protester parades a Palestinian flag outside the entrance to
   Hamilton Hall on the campus of Columbia University, Tuesday, April 30,
   2024, in New York. (*AP*)

US Federal Authorities announced on Friday a cut in grants and contracts
with Columbia University in New York, citing pro-Palestine protests
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/200--protest-ex-israeli-pm-s-visit-to-columbia-university?utm_source=mango-searchx&utm_medium=exact_title&utm_campaign=%23Columbia>,
which the Trump administration labels
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/trump-s-congressional-address--egg-prices--wokeness--and-fla>
as "anti-semitic".

The US Departments of Justice, Health and Human Services, Education, and
the General Services Administration— all part of the Trump Administration’s
Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism— announced the cuts in a
statement, citing Columbia’s ongoing failure to stop pro-Palestine protests.

The statement adds that the cuts are the "first round of action" against
the Ivy League university, emphasizing that more cancellations are
anticipated as Columbia has more than $5 billion in federal grant
commitments.

The agencies stated that they would issue stop-work orders for the grants
and contracts, which will immediately freeze Columbia’s access to the
funding without divulging details about the specific programs that will be
affected.
Columbia under fire for alleged 'anti-semitism'

Columbia University has been the battleground for threats and measures
targeting pro-Palestine students who organized and shared in protests
against "Israel's" genocide in Gaza, which "Israel" supporters have
labelled as anti-semitic.

The US House Committee on Education and the Workforce
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/house-panel-seeks-columbia-palestine-protesters--disciplinar?utm_source=mango-searchx&utm_medium=exact_title&utm_campaign=%23Columbia>
demanded in February that Columbia University submit disciplinary records
by the end of this month for students involved in anti-"Israel" protests
between April and January 2024, criticizing the Ivy League institution’s
handling of the matter.

The House panel sent a six-page letter to Columbia University’s leadership
on February 13, stating that the institution had failed to fulfill its
promise to students, faculty, and Congress to address "anti-Semitism,"
asserting that "Columbia’s ongoing failure to confront the widespread
anti-Semitism on campus is unacceptable, especially given the university
receives billions in federal funding."

The university's newly established Office of Institutional Equity launched
multiple investigations to track down students who voiced their opposition
to "Israel", according to the *Associated Press.*

Columbia sent notices to dozens of students
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/columbia-university-probes-students-for-criticizing--israel?utm_source=mango-searchx&utm_medium=exact_title&utm_campaign=%23Columbia>
for activities ranging from sharing pro-Palestinian social media posts to
taking part in protests that the school considers “unauthorized," while the
creation of the "disciplinary office" sparked concerns among students,
faculty members, and free speech advocates who said Columbia caved in to
Trump's pressure.
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