The Trump administration has halted more than $1 billion in federal funding for Cornell University and approximately $790 million for Northwestern University as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged civil rights violations at both institutions, the White House announced.
The funding freeze, confirmed late Tuesday night, is the latest escalation in a broader campaign to leverage government grants to align major academic institutions with President Donald Trump’s political priorities.
The White House provided no specifics on the affected grants or the full scope of the pause, leaving universities to grapple with the implications. This move follows a pattern of financial pressure exerted on elite schools, with prior cuts targeting Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania.
Across the nation, research institutions are now facing uncertainty as federal funding—a lifeline for cutting-edge projects—becomes a tool to influence campus policies.
The administration’s actions stem from a March initiative by the Education Department, which sent letters to over 60 universities, including Cornell and Northwestern, warning of “potential enforcement actions” if they fail to comply with federal laws mandating the protection of Jewish students. This includes ensuring uninterrupted access to campus facilities and educational opportunities.
The Trump administration has accused these universities of allowing antisemitism to flourish during last year’s campus protests against Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza—a charge the schools have firmly rejected.
Columbia University has already felt the sting, with $400 million in federal funds threatened. The administration claimed Columbia failed to curb antisemitism during protests that began on its New York City campus last spring and spread nationwide, though demonstrators dispute this portrayal. To restore funding—and secure billions more for future grants—the Republican-led government demanded sweeping policy changes from Columbia.
The university’s partial compliance, aimed at preserving critical research at its labs and medical center, has sparked backlash from faculty and free speech advocates, who argue it compromises academic independence.
As the investigations into Cornell and Northwestern unfold, the administration’s use of federal dollars as leverage signals a deepening rift between the government and higher education.