Trump Administration Proposes Freezing $510 Million in Grants for Brown University

April 4, 2025 TruthUSA

Brown University has become the fifth Ivy League institution to face federal funding cuts due to concerns regarding antisemitism.

As per a White House official’s statement on Thursday, the Trump administration is set to suspend around $510 million in federal contracts and grants allotted to Brown University while it investigates the university’s approach to antisemitism.

This action positions Brown as the fifth Ivy League university subject to federal funding scrutiny concerning antisemitism on their campuses.

The White House validated initial reports about the suspension of the grants, which referenced an anonymous official. According to The Daily Caller, the official mentioned that the decision to block the funds is also associated with the university’s proposed Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies.

In an email to campus leaders on Thursday, Brown University Provost Frank Doyle acknowledged that the university was aware of “disturbing rumors” regarding government actions impacting its research funding but emphasized that “At this moment, we have no information to substantiate any of these rumors.”

Last year, during protests concerning the Israel-Hamas conflict, Brown University reached an agreement with pro-Palestinian student activists. In return for dismantling a protestor encampment, the university’s governing board agreed to consider a vote on divesting from companies that the protesters claimed were supporting Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories. Ultimately, the Corporation of Brown rejected the divestment proposal.

The federal funding suspension at Brown follows similar actions taken against other prestigious schools. Columbia University was the first to be targeted, losing $400 million in federal funds amid threats of further terminations if improvements in campus safety for Jewish students were not made. The University of Pennsylvania also had around $175 million in federal funding suspended over issues regarding a transgender swimmer.

Earlier this week, a federal antisemitism task force revealed it was reviewing nearly $9 billion in federal grants and contracts at Harvard University as part of an investigation into campus antisemitism. Similarly, Princeton University reported that the administration had suspended numerous research grants.

Universities Under Investigation

On March 10, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights sent letters to 60 universities being investigated for Title VI violations related to antisemitic harassment and discrimination.

“The Department is profoundly disappointed that Jewish students studying on elite U.S. campuses continue to feel unsafe amid the ongoing antisemitic incidents that have significantly disrupted campus life for over a year. University leaders must take more effective actions,” stated Secretary of Education Linda McMahon in a news release.

The Trump administration has pledged to implement firmer measures against campus antisemitism, claiming that the previous administration, led by President Joe Biden, has been too lenient. New investigations have been launched at various colleges, and some foreign students involved in pro-Palestinian protests have faced repercussions.

“The United States has a zero-tolerance policy for foreign visitors who support terrorism. Those who violate U.S. law, including international students, may encounter denials or revocations of their visas,” a spokesperson informed NTD News in an emailed statement when the new initiative was launched last month.

On January 29, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14188, aimed at protecting Jewish students from discrimination and harassment. The order instructs federal agencies to utilize all legal means available to prosecute individuals accused of antisemitic harassment and violence.

Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor noted on March 7 that following the October 7 Hamas terror attacks on Israel, American institutions witnessed a spike in harassment and violence against Jewish students, with many college presidents taking “little or no credible action,” while the previous administration’s Education Department had “inexplicably amassed a backlog of complaints.”

The Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism, comprising multiple federal departments, has been evaluating universities’ compliance with federal regulations, particularly focusing on Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in programs receiving federal financial assistance.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

From NTD News

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