Columbia University Strikes $220 Million Agreement With Trump Administration to Regain Federal Research Grants
Columbia University has finalized a $220 million settlement with the Trump administration, resolving months of disputes over alleged antisemitism on campus and opening the door for the reinstatement of federal research grants that were revoked earlier this year.
As per the deal, Columbia will pay $200 million to the federal government over a three-year period. An additional $21 million will be allocated to settle alleged civil rights violations against Jewish staff members following the October 7, 2023, Hamas assault on Israel, according to a White House statement.
“This deal represents a significant step forward after prolonged federal oversight and institutional uncertainty,” said Interim University President Claire Shipman.
Columbia had been facing the possible loss of over $400 million in federal grants and the risk of additional billions in funding being suspended after the administration accused the university of insufficient action against antisemitism amid the Israel-Hamas crisis. The Trump administration had made it clear that continued support would require sweeping institutional reforms.
In a statement issued after the deal, President Donald Trump said, “I’m pleased to report that the Trump Administration has reached a historic deal with Columbia University. Columbia has agreed to pay a $200 million penalty to the United States Government for breaching Federal Law, along with over $20 million in compensation to their Jewish staff members who were wrongfully targeted and harassed.”
Trump praised the deal as a major policy win: “Columbia has also agreed to end their absurd DEI policies, admit students SOLELY based on MERIT, and uphold Civil Liberties on campus.” He added that the settlement is part of a broader strategy to hold colleges accountable: “Several other Higher Education Institutions that have harmed so many and acted unfairly and unjustly… are next.” Trump also thanked Secretary Linda McMahon and others who helped negotiate the deal, stating, “I appreciate and applaud Columbia University for agreeing to do what is right. I look forward to seeing them flourish in our country — perhaps more than ever before!”
The settlement, completed on Wednesday, finalizes a series of reforms that Columbia had already begun to implement earlier this year. These include changes to the university’s student disciplinary system and adoption of a federally supported definition of antisemitism to assess both academic content and campus conduct — particularly concerning criticism of Israel. Columbia agreed to the terms without admitting any legal fault. Shipman noted that the university’s independence remains intact.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon described the agreement as a pivotal moment: “A major shift in our national efforts to hold institutions receiving U.S. taxpayer funding accountable for antisemitic actions and harassment.” She added that Columbia’s commitments “offer a blueprint for elite institutions seeking to rebuild public trust through a renewed focus on truth, merit, and open discussion.”
Among the agreed-upon reforms are steps first introduced in March: reviewing the Middle East studies program for balance, appointing new faculty at the Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies, and removing programs deemed to promote illegal race-based diversity or DEI goals. The university must also report to a federal monitor to ensure that none of its activities support unlawful DEI objectives.
The deal follows months of tense negotiations and leadership turnover at Columbia, which has seen three acting presidents over the past year. The university was one of the first to be targeted under the Trump administration’s broader crackdown on pro-Palestinian activism and alleged campus antisemitism.
An internal Columbia task force on antisemitism concluded last summer that Jewish students had faced verbal attacks, exclusion, and classroom mistreatment during the spring 2024 protests. At the same time, some Jewish students also participated in those demonstrations, and protest organizers said their criticism was aimed at Israeli policies, not individuals of Jewish background.
As part of the deal, Columbia has also committed to adding new screening questions for international applicants to assess their intentions for studying in the United States, and to enforcing new guidelines ensuring students uphold “civil dialogue.” Furthermore, the school has agreed to provide federal officials with records of disciplinary actions involving visa-holding students, particularly in cases of suspension or expulsion. This could support Trump-era efforts to deport protest-involved foreign students.
On Tuesday, Columbia disclosed that more than 70 students will face suspensions, expulsions, or revoked degrees for participating in a pro-Palestinian demonstration inside the main library in May and a previous protest encampment during alumni weekend last year.
The enforcement actions began with funding freezes and continued with the detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a former graduate student and notable protester, as part of the administration’s broader initiative to remove non-citizen pro-Palestinian activists.
Federal officials also searched student housing at Columbia as part of a Justice Department probe into whether the university was harboring undocumented individuals. At the time, university leadership reaffirmed their dedication to complying with federal law.
Columbia has emerged as an early test case in the Trump administration’s attempt to overhaul U.S. higher education, particularly at institutions it sees as liberal bastions. However, the spotlight later moved to Harvard University, which became the first major school to publicly challenge the administration’s terms in court.
The administration has leaned heavily on the threat of suspending federal research funding as leverage. Over $2 billion in grants have been frozen at several top institutions including Cornell, Brown, Northwestern, and Princeton.
In a separate episode earlier this year, $175 million was withdrawn from the University of Pennsylvania over a conflict involving women’s athletics and transgender swimmer Lia Thomas. That funding was restored after the university agreed to amend its policies and records.
The crackdown has extended beyond private schools. University of Virginia President James Ryan resigned in June amid a Justice Department investigation into DEI programs. A similar inquiry has now begun at George Mason University.
