After Harvard, Donald Trump freezes Princeton’s funding over alleged tolerance of antisemitism
Princeton University announced the US government froze several research grants amid accusations of antisemitism. The Trump administration has threatened funding cuts to universities over their alleged tolerance of antisemitism and failure to protect Jewish students during protests.
Princeton University said on Tuesday the U.S. government froze several dozen research grants to the school, which became the latest academic institution targeted by the Trump administration in a crackdown on what it calls antisemitism on campuses, Reuters reported.
Princeton President Chris Eisgruber said government agencies including NASA and the defense and energy departments notified the university of the move. The university said in a statement it was given no reason for the action and it did not provide a dollar value for the grants.
The Trump administration has threatened to slash federal funding for universities over their alleged tolerance of antisemitism and over accusations of failure to protect Jewish students during pro-Palestinian protests.Reuters reported.
“We are committed to fighting antisemitism and all forms of discrimination, and we will cooperate with the government in combating antisemitism. Princeton will also vigorously defend academic freedom and the due process rights of this university,” Eisgruber said in the statement.
A Department of Energy spokesperson said the agency "paused grant funding to Princeton University pending the completion of the Department of Education's investigation into Princeton regarding antisemitic harassment." The Education Department, last month, sent a letter to 60 universities, including Princeton, warning it could bring enforcement actions against them.
The other federal agencies had no immediate comment, Reuters reported.
Protesters, including some Jewish groups, say President Donald Trump's administration wrongly conflates their criticism of Israel's military campaign in Gaza and advocacy for Palestinian rights with antisemitism and support for Hamas militants.
The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered in October 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
Israel's subsequent military assault on Hamas-governed Gaza has killed over 50,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, while also triggering accusations of genocide and war crimes that Israel denies. The assault has internally displaced nearly Gaza's entire 2.3 million population and caused a hunger crisis.
The Trump administration is also reviewing $9 billion in federal contracts and grants awarded to Harvard University.
Last month, the federal government revoked $400 million in funding for Columbia University, which had been a hotspot for pro-Palestinian campus protests.
In recent weeks, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have detained several foreign student protesters and are in the process of deporting them.
The Trump administration has also targeted other universities over cultural issues, such as diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Additionally, it suspended $175 million in funding to the University of Pennsylvania due to its policies on transgender sports.
Rights advocates have raised concerns about Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias, but the Trump administration has yet to announce any actions in response to these issues.
(With inputs from Reuters)
Catch all the Business News , Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.