Trump admin pauses $1B from Cornell, $790M from Northwestern amid civil rights investigation: report
The Trump administration has taken a hardline stance against universities over potential civil rights violations, freezing over $1 billion in federal funding from Cornell University and $790 million from Northwestern University. The New York Times reported that the freeze affects grants and contracts from various departments including Agriculture, Education, Defense, and Health and Human Services.
Northwestern University confirmed that they were informed of the freeze through the media and emphasized the importance of federal funds in driving innovative research. They expressed concern that critical research projects, such as the development of the world’s smallest pacemaker and research on Alzheimer’s disease, could be jeopardized by the funding freeze.
Cornell University and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the funding freeze. This move comes on the heels of the Trump administration pausing over a billion dollars in federal funding to Brown University over its response to antisemitism following Hamas’ invasion of Israel in 2023.
President Trump has also suspended federal funding to nearly every Ivy League school, except Penn and Dartmouth, over investigations into anti-Israel protests on their campuses. Columbia University lost over $400 million in federal funding for failing to address antisemitism, while Harvard and Princeton are also facing scrutiny over campus antisemitism.
The Trump administration has vowed to crack down on campus antisemitism and hold universities accountable for violent protests. They have also taken action to detain and deport foreign students involved in anti-Israel protests at American universities.
Overall, the freeze on federal funding to Cornell University and Northwestern University highlights the administration’s commitment to addressing civil rights violations on college campuses and ensuring a safe and inclusive environment for all students.
