Speaker Johnson Calls for Columbia University to Remove President Shafik

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., on Monday urged Columbia University’s board of trustees to remove Minouche Shafik as president due to her mishandling of on-campus anti-Israel protests and her alleged acquiescence to Hamas supporters.

Johnson’s statement came after Columbia University canceled its main commencement ceremony in response to on-campus anti-Israel protests.

In his statement posted on Twitter, Johnson criticized Shafik and Columbia University administrators for allowing outside agitators and terrorist-sympathizing individuals to incite anti-Jewish aggression on campus. He called for Shafik’s immediate removal and the appointment of a new president who can restore order and provide strong moral leadership to the university.

Earlier, Johnson had called for Shafik’s resignation, citing her weak leadership in handling the protests.

Columbia’s decision to cancel the main commencement ceremony amid ongoing protests follows weeks of unrest at the Ivy League school.

In late April, Johnson and other GOP lawmakers met with Jewish students at Columbia and delivered a speech in response to the protests, which he claimed were backed by Hamas.

The protests escalated after Shafik testified at a House committee hearing on April 17 regarding antisemitism on college campuses.

In a video released on Friday, Shafik explained the events that led to police intervention to remove anti-Israel protesters who had occupied an administration building.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this story.