Trump says any school that
CBS1 day ago
Trump Threatens to Cut College Funding Over Campus Protests
Above: Pro-Palestinian student protesters demonstrating outside Barnard College in New York City, New York, on Feb. 27, 2025. Image copyright: Timothy A. Clary/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Facts
US Pres. Donald Trump said Tuesday that he would halt federal funding for educational institutions allowing "illegal protests," threatening prison and deportation for foreign students and expulsion or arrest for American students participating in them.
This comes as the Department of Education is investigating five universities, including Columbia, Northwestern, Portland State, UC Berkeley, and the University of Michigan, over reported antisemitic incidents. The Justice Department (DOJ) is probing 10 colleges.
The White House also launched a review of more than $51.4M in government contracts and $5B in federal grant commitments to Columbia, citing concerns about alleged antisemitism and harassment of Jewish students on campus.
The Spin
Republican narrative
Schools like Columbia, which have multi-billion-dollar endowments, should be held accountable when they fail to prevent harmful actions from groups on campus. These institutions have long been respected for their role in fostering learning, and it’s crucial they maintain that commitment by not allowing illegal protests. The government has every right to revoke funding from them and prosecute criminal acts if schools refuse to do so.
Democratic narrative
While Trump will likely frame this as focused on combatting criminal acts, he conveniently omitted any specific definition of what an "illegal protest" is. This vague threat against demonstrators is a clear violation of the First Amendment, one that will chill university campuses across the country. Between this order and his similar orders regarding critical race theory, the president is openly censoring speech he doesn't like.
Cynical narrative
The US government's pro-Israel censorship regime began long ago, starting with Jimmy Carter and growing under Reagan, Clinton, Bush, Obama, and Biden. Trump is just continuing this trend, though his approach has made these policies more visible on the global stage. Despite the US having lost its status as a beacon of freedom, those in government have chosen to double down on these policies to protect Israel's interests.