Trump Threatens to Cut Federal Funding Over 'Illegal Protests,' Vows to Expel or Imprison Agitators
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that his administration will halt all federal funding for colleges and schools that permit "illegal protests", while also pledging to imprison agitators and deport foreign students involved in such demonstrations.
“All Federal Funding will STOP for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“Agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came. American students will be permanently expelled or, depending on the crime, arrested. NO MASKS! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
The statement drew immediate backlash from free speech advocates, including the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), which warned that the president’s remarks could chill student protests on issues like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“The First Amendment protects controversial political speech; we don’t use the law to punish dissenters,” FIRE said in a statement.
Targeting Campus Demonstrations
Trump did not define what he considers an "illegal" protest, but his remarks came one day after his administration announced a review of more than $50 million in federal contracts awarded to Columbia University over what it called the school’s "ongoing inaction in the face of relentless harassment of Jewish students."
Last year’s protests at Columbia—sparked by Israel’s military actions in Gaza—led to over 100 student arrests and several suspensions. Barnard College, affiliated with Columbia, recently expelled two students for disrupting a class titled “History of Modern Israel.”
The administration’s task force is now reviewing whether Columbia remains in compliance with federal regulations, including its civil rights obligations—and more than $5 billion in grants could be affected.
A Broader Republican Crackdown
Republicans have long framed campus protests against Israel’s actions as support for Hamas, with GOP leaders previously threatening to pull billions in funding from elite universities.
The latest federal review of Columbia was announced by:
- The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
- The Department of Education
- The General Services Administration (GSA)
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., speaking about the move, compared antisemitism to a "deadly plague" infecting universities.
“In recent years, woke cancel culture has turned our great universities into greenhouses for this virulent pestilence,” Kennedy said.
Columbia responded by reaffirming its commitment to combatting antisemitism and all forms of discrimination, stating that “promoting or glorifying violence or terror has no place at our university.”
Trump’s Executive Order on Campus Protests
Shortly after taking office in January, Trump signed an executive order claiming to "combat antisemitism." A White House fact sheet ahead of the order stated that:
- The federal government would revoke student visas for foreign students labeled “Hamas sympathizers.”
- Those participating in “pro-jihadist protests” would be deported.
The move was immediately challenged by free speech advocates, who warned that punishing students for protest or expression could violate the First Amendment.
Protests and Escalations Continue
While campus protests had largely diminished in recent months, new demonstrations erupted last week in New York following:
- New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s decision to force CUNY to rescind a job posting for a Palestinian Studies professor.
- Barnard College expelling a third student tied to the occupation of Columbia’s Hamilton Hall last spring.
Despite the growing tensions, Trump remains firm in his stance, stating that federal support will not be given to institutions that allow unauthorized demonstrations.