Columbia Could Lose $51M In Funds Over 'Illegal Protests', Trump Says

MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS, NY — The Trump Administration is considering pulling federal money from colleges accused of tolerating antisemitism amid the uptick in student-organized pro-Palestinian protests and is taking aim at Columbia University first, a trio of federal agencies announced on Monday night.

On Monday night, the Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Education, and the General Services Administration said they are conducting a "comprehensive review" of contracts and grants between Columbia and the federal government, and are considering a stop-work order to freeze $51.4 million in contracts and evaluate $5 billion more.

Then, on Tuesday morning, President Donald Trump took to social media to declare that federal funding would stop for any school or college that allows what he claimed are "illegal protests," and that protestors could be deported, expelled or imprisoned.

"All Federal Funding will STOP for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "Agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came. American students will be permanently expelled or, depending on on the crime, arrested. NO MASKS! Thank you for your attention to this matter."

The announcement comes less than a week after a sit-in protesting the expulsion of two students at Barnard College for protesting an Israeli History class escalated, resulting in a Barnard security guard going to the hospital. Barnard is an independent college within Columbia University.

Columbia released a statement saying that the university is fully committed to combatting all forms of discrimination.

"Columbia is fully committed to combatting antisemitism and all forms of discrimination, and we are resolute that calling for, promoting, or glorifying violence or terror has no place at our University," a spokesperson for the university said late on Monday night.

"We look forward to ongoing work with the new federal administration to fight antisemitism, and we will continue to make all efforts to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our students, faculty, and staff."

On Tuesday night, Columbia is hosting former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett for an event, a spokesperson for the student organization Columbia Palestine Solidarity Commission told Patch.

"By hosting war criminals who have publicly admitted to murder, Columbia risks alienating its Palestinian, Arab, and other student populations, making them feel extremely threatened, scared, and unwelcome on campus," a spokesperson for Columbia Palestine Solidarity Coalition said. "To bring Bennett on campus during Ramadan is especially egregious."

This is a developing story and may be updated. For questions and tips, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.