President Trump is not playing around with anyone. He’s telling everyone to fall in line or face the consequences.
That’s why Trump pressed the red button to go nuclear after his direct order was disobeyed.
Trump Administration Takes Decisive Action Against Columbia University Over Antisemitism
In a move that signals a firm stance against rising antisemitism on college campuses, the Trump administration’s antisemitism task force withdrew $400 million in federal grants and contracts from Columbia University on Friday. The decision, rooted in growing alarm over unchecked antisemitic incidents since October 7, 2023, marks a significant step toward holding universities accountable—an approach that aligns with President Donald Trump’s no-nonsense leadership style.
Columbia has become a flashpoint for anti-Israel demonstrations over the past year, with tensions spilling over into affiliated institutions like Barnard College, an all-women’s school tied to the university. Just this week, Barnard saw yet another protest, the latest in a string of disruptive events that have rattled Jewish students and faculty alike.
The antisemitism task force—a coalition spanning the Departments of Justice, Health and Human Services, Education, and the General Services Administration—acted decisively to strip Columbia of $400 million in federal support. This penalty zeroes in on the university’s apparent unwillingness to address or penalize harassment targeting Jewish students, a failure that the Trump administration refuses to overlook.
Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, fresh off her Senate confirmation earlier this week, minced no words in explaining the move. “Since October 7, Jewish students have faced relentless violence, intimidation, and anti-Semitic harassment on their campuses – only to be ignored by those who are supposed to protect them,” she said in a statement. Her words carry the weight of an administration determined to enforce consequences, a refreshing change from the inaction of past leadership.
McMahon went further, issuing a clear warning to Columbia and beyond: “Universities must comply with all federal antidiscrimination laws if they are going to receive federal funding. For too long, Columbia has abandoned that obligation to Jewish students studying on its campus. Today, we demonstrate to Columbia and other universities that we will not tolerate their appalling inaction any longer.” It’s a message that resonates with Trump’s promise to prioritize law and order, even in the ivory towers of academia.
The Free Press first broke the story of the administration’s plan, which came into sharper focus earlier this week when the task force alerted Columbia’s interim president, Katrina Armstrong, to an impending review of the university’s federal contracts and grants. The Trump team raised serious concerns about Columbia’s compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin. When Columbia failed to respond to the inquiry, the administration didn’t hesitate to act—a stark contrast to the endless deliberations of less decisive eras.
This latest move builds on President Trump’s earlier warnings that federal funding would be cut if universities didn’t rein in what he called “illegal protests.” For months, anti-Israel demonstrations have disrupted campuses nationwide, often targeting Jewish students with impunity. The Republican administration had previously threatened to pull $51.4 million in government contracts from Columbia—a figure dwarfed by Friday’s $400 million cut—for its lax response to these incidents. With Columbia holding over $5 billion in federal grant commitments, according to the task force, more funding reductions could be on the horizon.
Trump has also taken a hard line against pro-Hamas “agitators,” vowing to arrest them or deport foreign students involved in such activities back to their home countries. That promise gained traction on Thursday when the State Department, under Secretary of State Marco Rubio, revoked the visa of a foreign student linked to pro-Hamas demonstrations. Rubio’s declaration that the U.S. won’t tolerate terror supporters on its soil echoes the administration’s unwavering commitment to national security.
At Barnard, the unrest continued unabated. Since last week, anti-Israel students staged protests inside two academic buildings, demanding attention for the expulsion of three peers who had disrupted campus life with their anti-Israel rhetoric. Wednesday’s demonstration ended with nine arrests after students defied orders to leave the library amid an active bomb threat. A separate protest the previous week sent an employee to the hospital, though no arrests were made. Last April, Columbia students forcibly occupied Hamilton Hall for 17 hours, leading to dozens of arrests—most of which were later dropped, a decision that rankled many who saw it as a failure of accountability.
Columbia isn’t alone in facing scrutiny. The Department of Justice launched a civil rights investigation into the University of California system earlier this week, signaling that the Trump administration intends to tackle antisemitism across elite institutions with the same resolve it’s shown in other arenas.
For supporters of President Trump, this aggressive response to campus antisemitism is a welcome sign of strength. It’s a policy that doesn’t just talk about protecting American values—it delivers results, ensuring that universities can’t hide behind prestige while ignoring the safety of their students. As the administration continues to root out these issues, it’s clear that Trump’s team is serious about restoring order and fairness, one issue at a time.
The Federalist Wire will update you on any further news from the Trump administration on this matter.
