Hundreds of Jewish Academics Condemn Trump’s Funding Cuts to Columbia University

Watan-Hundreds of Jewish academics, including professors, researchers, and students, have condemned U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to cut $400 million in federal funding to Columbia University and threaten other universities with similar measures.

This action comes amid allegations from the administration that the university has “failed to protect American students and faculty” from antisemitic harassment, along with other unspecified legal violations. However, the signatories of an open letter, titled “An Open Letter in Response to Federal Funding Cuts to Columbia University,” argue that these decisions will not protect Jews but could instead make them more vulnerable.

Outrage: “Do Not Use Our Identity to Destroy Academic Institutions”

In their letter, the academics emphasized that history shows that attacks on individual freedoms often begin with silencing scholars and intellectuals—something they argue is contrary to fundamental Jewish cultural values. The letter states:

“Historically, the loss of individual rights for any group begins with silencing scholars and academics—people who dedicate their lives to knowledge, which is at the core of Jewish culture. Furthermore, destroying universities in the name of protecting Jews may actually make them less safe by turning them into scapegoats.”

Resignation of Minouche Shafik

Minouche Shafik announced her resignation as President of Columbia University after months of protests.

Strict Restrictions Imposed on Columbia University

In addition to the funding cuts, the Trump administration has imposed a series of demands on the university, including:

• Placing the Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies under special academic supervision for five years.
• Banning the wearing of masks on campus if used to “conceal identity or intimidate others.”
• Adopting an official definition of antisemitism that includes “discrimination against anti-Zionist Jews in non-Israel-related contexts.”
• Implementing new rules to regulate protests and allowing campus police to arrest “agitators.”

Despite the pressure, Columbia’s interim president, Katrina Armstrong, stated in an official release that the university “will not compromise its academic independence or freedom of expression.”

Divided Opinions: Does the Decision Protect or Exploit Jews?

The open letter clarified that its signatories do not share a unified stance on Israel or U.S. policy but unanimously reject the exploitation of Jewish identity to justify weakening American universities.

“We reject the use of our Jewish identity as a pretext to destroy the institutions that have long made America great.”

The letter further states:“Weakening American universities does not protect Jews. Cutting research funding does not protect Jews. Punishing scholars and academics does not protect Jews.”

New Escalation: Arrest of Palestinian Activist

Amid these developments, the Trump administration arrested Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, a permanent U.S. resident married to an American citizen, and is now seeking his deportation. No criminal charges have been filed against him, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that “his pro-Palestinian activism poses a potential threat to American interests”—citing a rarely used provision of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act.

In a letter from an immigration detention center in Louisiana, Khalil described himself as a “political prisoner”, arguing that U.S. authorities are attempting to silence dissenting voices.

U.S. Universities Under Fire

Columbia is not the only university facing pressure. The U.S. Department of Education has sent warning letters to more than 60 universities, demanding they take measures to protect Jewish students or face legal consequences. Additionally, $175 million in federal funding has been suspended for the University of Pennsylvania as a punitive measure after allowing a transgender swimmer to compete on the women’s team.