Trump Administration Plans to Freeze $510 Million in Brown University Grants 👉 Updatem News

Brown has become the fifth Ivy League school to have federal funding targeted over antisemitism concerns.

The Trump administration is preparing to halt approximately $510 million in federal contracts and grants awarded to Brown University as it reviews the institution’s handling of antisemitism, a White House official said on Thursday.

This would make Brown the fifth Ivy League school targeted by the administration’s use of federal funding to address its concerns over antisemitism at colleges.

The White House confirmed that initial reports on the halting of the grants, which cited an official talking on the condition of anonymity, were correct. The Daily Caller quoted the official as saying that blocking the funds was also related to the university’s potential Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies.

Brown University Provost Frank Doyle emailed campus leaders on Thursday, noting the university was aware of “troubling rumors” about government action affecting its research funding, but stated, “At this moment, we have no information to substantiate any of these rumors.”

During last year’s campus Israel-Hamas war protests, Brown University reached an agreement with pro-Palestinian student activists. In exchange for dismantling a protestor encampment, the university agreed to have its governing board vote on whether to divest from companies that protesters claimed were facilitating Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories. The Corporation of Brown in the end rejected the divestment proposal.

The move to block funds at Brown University follows similar actions against other prestigious institutions. Columbia University was the first targeted, losing $400 million in federal money with threats of additional terminations if it failed to improve campus safety for Jewish students. The University of Pennsylvania had approximately $175 million in federal funding suspended over issues related to a transgender swimmer.

Earlier this week, a federal antisemitism task force announced it was reviewing almost $9 billion in federal grants and contracts at Harvard University amid an investigation into campus antisemitism. Princeton University also reported that the administration had halted dozens of its research grants.

Universities Under Investigation

On March 10, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights sent letters to 60 universities under investigation for Title VI violations related to antisemitic harassment and discrimination.

“The Department is deeply disappointed that Jewish students studying on elite U.S. campuses continue to fear for their safety amid the relentless antisemitic eruptions that have severely disrupted campus life for more than a year. University leaders must do better,” Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a news release.

The Trump administration has promised more aggressive measures against campus antisemitism, accusing former President Joe Biden’s administration of being too lenient. It has initiated new investigations at colleges and taken action against several foreign students connected to pro-Palestinian protests.

“The United States has zero tolerance for foreign visitors who support terrorists. Violators of U.S. law, including international students, may face visa denial or revocation,” a spokesperson told NTD News in an emailed statement when the new initiative started last month.

President Donald Trump on Jan. 29 signed Executive Order 14188, which aims to protect Jewish students from discrimination and harassment. The order directs federal agencies to use all available legal tools to prosecute those accused of antisemitic harassment and violence.

Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor noted on March 7 that following the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks on Israel, American institutions experienced increased harassment and violence toward Jewish students, with many college presidents taking “little or no credible action,” while the previous administration’s Education Department “inexplicably accumulated a backlog of complaints.”

The Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism, which includes multiple federal departments, has been reviewing universities’ compliance with federal regulations, particularly under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in programs receiving federal financial assistance.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

From NTD News

Original News Source Link – Epoch Times

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