Trump Administration Freezes Billions in Federal Funding to Cornell, Northwestern Over Civil Rights Investigations

The Trump administration has frozen over $1 billion in federal funding to Cornell University and another $790 million to Northwestern University, citing potential civil rights investigations at both institutions, Fox News reports.

The New York Times, citing two anonymous administration officials, reported that the funding freeze affects grants and contracts tied to the Departments of Agriculture, Education, Defense, and Health and Human Services.

Northwestern University confirmed to the news outlet that it had learned of the freeze through media reports.

“The University has not received any official notification from the federal government.”

The potential loss of funding could have a significant impact on the university.

“Federal funds that Northwestern receives drive innovative and life-saving research, like the recent development by Northwestern researchers of the world’s smallest pacemaker, and research fueling the fight against Alzheimer’s disease,” Northwestern said in its statement. “This type of research is now at jeopardy. The University has fully cooperated with investigations by both the Department of Education and Congress.”

This action follows a similar move less than a week ago, when the Trump administration paused over a billion dollars in federal funding to Brown University, citing concerns over its response to antisemitism since Hamas’ 2023 invasion of Israel. A White House official confirmed that nearly $510 million in federal contracts and grants to Brown are under review.

Reportedly, President Trump has now suspended federal funding to every Ivy League institution except Penn and Dartmouth, all over investigations into anti-Israel protests that have occurred on their campuses since October 2023. Funding for numerous other universities has also been affected for the same reasons.

Columbia University, which initially lost over $400 million in federal funding, reportedly regained it after complying with demands from the Trump administration aimed at ensuring the safety of Jewish students on campus.

Earlier this week, a federal antisemitism task force announced a review of Harvard University’s federal grants and contracts, valued at nearly $9 billion, due to an ongoing investigation into campus antisemitism. Princeton University has also confirmed that dozens of its research grants have been halted.

The Trump administration has vowed a more aggressive approach to combating campus antisemitism, criticizing President Biden’s response as insufficient. The administration has also initiated actions to detain and deport foreign students who have participated in or organized anti-Israel protests at American universities.