Trump pushes for federal oversight of Columbia University amid pro-Palestinian crackdown: Report
People hold signs as they participate in a protest in support of Columbia University student activist Mahmoud Khalil while a hearing takes place, outside the court in Newark, New Jersey, U.S. on March 28, 2025. (AFP Photo)
The Trump administration is pursuing a consent decree that would place Columbia University under federal oversight due to concerns about how the university has handled alleged antisemitism on campus, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
The administration’s task force is targeting a consent decree because it “doesn’t think Columbia is a good-faith actor willing to make the significant changes on campuses” in response to protests related to Israel’s war in Gaza, which has claimed the lives of over 50,800 Palestinians, according to sources familiar with the plan.
A consent decree would assign a federal judge to oversee Columbia’s compliance with federal guidelines, potentially for several years.
For the decree to take effect, Columbia must agree to the terms.
Students chain themselves to Columbia University gates, demanding accountability from trustees for arrest of Mahmoud Khalil pic.twitter.com/uP3Fe5lEHU
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White House yet to comment on the report
Neither the White House nor Columbia University offered immediate comment on the report.
This development comes amid rising tensions between the administration and the university over pro-Palestinian activism on campus. Recently, the Trump administration canceled $400 million in federal grants and contracts to Columbia, accusing the university of failing to protect Jewish students during pro-Palestinian protests.
Columbia has also experienced significant administrative turmoil, with interim president Katrina Armstrong resigning on March 28, 2025, just one week after the university implemented policy changes mandated by the administration.
Earlier in March, Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia graduate student involved in pro-Palestinian activism, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
