The Trump administration is threatening to freeze $510m in grants for Brown University, as part of its campaign against universities accused of allowing antisemitism on campus, according to Reuters and the New York Times. University officials at Brown have not yet been formally notified, but the school is among many that have been warned of potential enforcement actions as the administration attempts to crack down on academic institutions.
Brown, which is an Ivy League school in Rhode Island, witnessed protests by students against Israel’s attacks on Palestinians last autumn, where students erected tents on campus. Unlike other universities, Brown’s administrators negotiated with the protesters instead of forcibly removing them.
This action has led to Trump labeling the protesters as antisemitic, expressing sympathy for Hamas and implying they pose a threat to foreign policy. He has threatened to cut federal funds that universities rely on for important research.
Brown University’s Provost, Frank Doyle, acknowledged in an email to the campus community that there were rumors about federal action on research grants, but added that the university had no information to substantiate these rumors.
The university’s President, Christina H. Paxson, has stated publicly that Brown will not succumb to pressure from the government and criticized the administration’s unprecedented demands on private universities.
This is not the first time the Trump administration has taken such action; previously, $400m in federal funding was canceled for Columbia University due to pro-Palestinian campus protests. Princeton University also reported that research grants from the US government had been frozen, and a review of $9bn in federal contracts and grants to Harvard University is underway.
Concerns about violations of academic freedom and civil rights on campus are mounting, as the administration has targeted programs on diversity, equity, and inclusion, and suspended funding to the University of Pennsylvania over its transgender sports policies. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has even detained foreign student protesters with plans to deport them.
Paxson said in a letter to the university community that despite the uncertainty, they remain committed to defending the university’s mission and values. She emphasized Brown’s dedication to advancing knowledge and understanding for the benefit of communities locally and globally.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/03/brown-university-trump-crackdowns
