President Donald Trump has just canceled $400 million in federal grants to Columbia University. 

This news was first reported by The Free Press.

Per the outlet:

The Trump administration is cutting off $400 million in federal funding to Columbia University, claiming it has failed to take steps to confront antisemitism on campus after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel . . .

What's more, is that the Trump administration says that this is "only the beginning."

$400 million GONE

The decision was explained in a press release that was published on Friday. It can be read in its entirety here.

It, in part, reads:

Today, the Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Education (ED), and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced the immediate cancellation of approximately $400 million in federal grants and contracts to Columbia University due to the school’s continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students.

The press release goes on to state that "these cancellations represent the first round of action and additional cancellations are expected to follow."

This should not come as a surprise to anyone, as Trump has suggested that this was a possibility if colleges and universities did not address the situation.

Just recently, Trump confirmed, "All Federal Funding will stop for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests."

"Only the beginning..."

In combination with the press release, Trump administration officials have released statements on the matter.

Leo Terrell, the senior counsel to the assistant attorney general for civil rights and the head of the DOJ task force to combat anti-semitism, said:

Freezing the funds is one of the tools we are using to respond to this spike in anti-Semitism. This is only the beginning. Cancelling these taxpayer funds is our strongest signal yet that the Federal Government is not going to be party to an educational institution like Columbia that does not protect Jewish students and staff.

Another statement was released by Linda McMahon, the Trump administration's secretary of education.

She said:

Since October 7, Jewish students have faced relentless violence, intimidation, and anti-Semitic harassment on their campuses – only to be ignored by those who are supposed to protect them. Universities must comply with all federal antidiscrimination laws if they are going to receive federal funding. For too long, Columbia has abandoned that obligation to Jewish students studying on its campus. Today, we demonstrate to Columbia and other universities that we will not tolerate their appalling inaction any longer.

We'll have to see if taking away the federal grants will have their intended effect.