Princeton University Reports Suspension of Numerous Research Grants by Trump Administration

April 2, 2025 TruthUSA

Actions by the federal government have already commenced against Ivy League institutions Columbia and Harvard regarding the harassment of Jewish students.

As part of its probe into campus anti-Semitism, the Trump administration has halted numerous federally funded research grants at Princeton University, according to a communication from the university published by the Daily Princetonian.

In an email dated April 1 and addressed to the campus community, Princeton President Christopher Eisgruber disclosed that the university had received notifications from federal funding agencies including the Departments of Energy, Defense, and NASA.

Eisgruber’s email did not specify the amount of funding at stake.

“The complete rationale for this decision remains unclear, but it is important that I convey the guiding principles for our response,” stated Eisgruber’s email.

“Princeton University will adhere to the law. We are dedicated to combating anti-Semitism and all forms of discrimination, and we will actively collaborate with the government to address anti-Semitism.”

“Princeton will also staunchly defend academic freedom and the due process rights of our institution.”

Eisgruber’s email indicated that further details would be provided after discussions with impacted faculty, researchers, and grant managers.

Princeton is one of the 60 prestigious higher education institutions currently facing federal scrutiny regarding the harassment of Jewish students, a situation that escalated following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

On March 10, Eisgruber, along with his counterparts from other Ivy League schools—Harvard, Columbia, Brown, Cornell, and Yale—received letters from the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights.

The letter reminded university leaders of the existing Civil Rights laws and referenced President Donald Trump’s executive order, stating that colleges and universities could face loss of federal funding if they fail to address campus anti-Semitism.

“The Department is profoundly dissatisfied that Jewish students on elite U.S. campuses continue to feel unsafe amidst ongoing anti-Semitic incidents that have seriously disrupted campus life for over a year. University leaders must do better,” remarked Secretary of Education Linda McMahon in a March 10 statement announcing the dispatch of letters to universities. “U.S. colleges and universities benefit from substantial public investments from U.S. taxpayers. This support is a privilege and is conditional upon strict compliance with federal anti-discrimination laws.”

The Trump administration revealed on March 31 that it is currently reviewing $8.7 billion in contracts with Harvard.

In response to inquiries from The Epoch Times, Harvard University officials stated that the institution has taken measures over the past 15 months to tackle anti-Semitism on campus, yet the Trump administration still views progress as insufficient.

“We will engage with members of the federal government’s task force addressing anti-Semitism to ensure they receive a comprehensive report on the initiatives we have undertaken and future actions we will implement to combat anti-Semitism,” wrote Harvard President Alan Garber in a communication to students and staff.

“We are committed to taking the necessary steps that will further Harvard’s essential mission while safeguarding our community and its academic freedom.”

“By doing this, we address bias and intolerance as we foster the conditions that support excellence in teaching and research, fundamental to our mission.”

Columbia University was the first institution to lose federal funding, amounting to $400 million, due to issues of campus anti-Semitism.

The university’s interim president, Katrina Armstrong, met nine requirements set by Education Secretary Linda McMahon and other federal entities before stepping down on March 28.

Moreover, Eisgruber serves as the board chair of the American Association of Universities, which openly criticized the Trump administration’s cuts to education funding and filed a federal lawsuit against reductions to National Institutes of Health research grants for universities in February.

“This action is poorly conceived and ultimately undermines both America’s patients and their families, as well as the country at large,” stated the association’s February 10 statement.

“We look forward to presenting our case in court.”

Eisgruber’s March 19 editorial in The Atlantic, which critiques the Trump administration’s actions against Columbia University, is available on Princeton’s website.

“The Trump administration’s recent assault on Columbia University jeopardizes all that, posing the biggest threat to American universities since the Red Scare of the 1950s. Every American should be concerned,” he wrote.

The Epoch Times reached out to Princeton University and the Department of Education, who directed inquiries to the Departments of Defense and Energy.

The Department of Defense opted not to comment.

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