White House pushes for oversight of Columbia University
The Trump administration is considering placing the school under a consent decree


What happened
The Trump administration is seeking to lock Columbia University into a legally binding consent decree, giving the White House oversight of the university for years to come, The Wall Street Journal said Thursday. The proposal is a significant escalation of President Donald Trump's expanding effort to exert power over top-tier U.S. universities by withholding federal research funds.
Who said what
After Trump withheld $400 million in grants and contracts to Columbia, accusing the school of insufficiently protecting Jewish students from harassment during 2024 Gaza War protests, the university "agreed to an initial set of demands," the Journal said. A consent decree would legally bind Columbia to those and future concessions, giving a judge the power to levy fines for noncompliance.
The Trump administration calls its cancellation of research funds and foreign student visas a "campaign against antisemitism on college campuses," The Associated Press said. Critics call it a "crackdown on free speech" and academic freedom.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What next?
A consent decree with Columbia "could serve as a model for other schools seeking to negotiate with the White House," The New York Times said. But the university would have to agree, and negotiations "could require an extended process." Judges "can't just wave a wand and turn an agreement into a consent decree absent a lawsuit," said University of Pennsylvania law professor Tobias Wolff.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Rafi Schwartz has worked as a politics writer at The Week since 2022, where he covers elections, Congress and the White House. He was previously a contributing writer with Mic focusing largely on politics, a senior writer with Splinter News, a staff writer for Fusion's news lab, and the managing editor of Heeb Magazine, a Jewish life and culture publication. Rafi's work has appeared in Rolling Stone, GOOD and The Forward, among others.
-
Law: The battle over birthright citizenship
Feature Trump shifts his focus to nationwide injunctions after federal judges block his attempt to end birthright citizenship
-
The threat to the NIH
Feature The Trump administration plans drastic cuts to medical research. What are the ramifications?
-
Courts try to check administration on deportations
Feature The Supreme Court will allow the Trump administration to end protected status for Venezuelans, but blocks deportations under the Alien Enemies Act
-
Trump pardons Virginia sheriff convicted of bribery
speed read Former sheriff Scott Jenkins was sentenced to 10 years in prison on federal bribery and fraud charges
-
Germany lifts Kyiv missile limits as Trump, Putin spar
speed read Russia's biggest drone and missile attacks of the war prompted Trump to post that Putin 'has gone absolutely CRAZY!'
-
Tied Supreme Court blocks church charter school
speed read The court upheld the Oklahoma Supreme Court's decision to bar overtly religious public charter schools
-
GOP megabill would limit judicial oversight of Trump
speed read The domestic policy bill Republicans pushed through the House would protect the Trump administration from the consequences of violating court orders
-
Hurricane season is here. How will Trump's FEMA respond?
Today's Big Question An internal review says the agency is not ready for big storms
-
Judge scolds DOJ over Newark mayor arrest
speed read Ras Baraka was arrested during a May 9 surprise visit to a migrant detention facility
-
Trump lectures South Africa president on 'white genocide'
speed read Trump has cut off aid to South Africa over his demonstrably false genocide claims
-
Trump twists House GOP arms on megabill
speed read The bill will provide a $350 billion boost to military and anti-immigration spending and 'cuts to Medicaid, food stamps and green energy programs'