The administration of President Donald Trump has canceled funds and contracts totaling $400 million for Columbia University in New York, citing the institution’s “failure to act against the ongoing harassment of Jewish students,” the General Services Administration (GSA) announced on Friday.
The US government said the canceled funds would be deducted from a total of $5 billion in projects allocated to Columbia University. The announcement was made through a joint statement by the Department of Justice, the Department of Education, and the Department of Health and Human Services.
Columbia University became the focal point of campus protests, during which demonstrators called for an end to US support for Israel due to the deaths of civilians and the humanitarian crisis caused by Israel’s military operation in Gaza.
During the protests and counter-protests, accusations of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia emerged. Columbia University has previously stated that it has made efforts to combat anti-Semitism.
“The cancellation of these taxpayer funds is our strongest signal yet that the federal government will not be an ally to an educational institution like Columbia, which does not protect Jewish students and staff,” said Leo Terrell, head of the anti-Semitism task force at the Department of Justice.
It was not immediately clear which specific projects and funds were being canceled.
