In early March, the Trump administration dispatched warning letters to 60 US universities that it claimed were under potential enforcement actions for their alleged failure to safeguard Jewish students amid the pro-Palestinian protests that swept across campuses last year. According to the administration, these universities were not doing enough to address antisemitic discrimination and harassment.

Cornell University’s president, Michael Kotlikoff, took a stand against these allegations with a defiant op-ed in The New York Times, asserting that universities and their students could manage and even benefit from debates around the conflict in Gaza.

The Trump administration responded by freezing over $1 billion in funding for Cornell and $790 million for Northwestern University, citing their alleged failings. The funds, which include federal grants and contracts with various government departments including health, education, agriculture, and defense, have been put on hold indefinitely.

Cornell University has not commented on the situation, while Northwestern acknowledged the reports but insisted they had not received any formal government notification and emphasized their commitment to the investigation. Northwestern pointed out that the

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/08/trump-administration-cornell-northwestern-funding