President Donald Trump has reached a $221 million settlement with Columbia University to address multiple federal civil rights investigations.
The agreement includes $200 million over three years for alleged discriminatory practices and $21 million for settling claims of antisemitic employment discrimination against Jewish faculty following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks in Israel.
The White House hailed it as the largest antisemitism-related settlement in U.S. history, while Columbia confirmed the amounts without characterizing the deal in the same way.
The deal restores billions in federal research funding and establishes oversight through an independent monitor. Columbia has agreed to implement reforms, including stricter campus protest regulations and transferring disciplinary authority from faculty to administrators.
“The Trump Administration’s agreement with Columbia University marks a significant turning point in our country’s efforts to hold institutions accountable for antisemitic discrimination and harassment,” stated Education Secretary Linda McMahon. “For years, the public has witnessed the infiltration of anti-western ideologies and leftist groupthink on our elite campuses, stifling speech and debate to promote a one-sided narrative. These dangerous trends led to a surge in violent antisemitism following the October 7th tragedy, which was previously unheard of in the U.S.”
Columbia disclosed that most suspended federal grants, including those from the National Institutes of Health and Department of Health and Human Services, will be reinstated. Some funding not restored reflects unrelated federal cuts in specific research areas.
The agreement also enforces reforms announced by Columbia earlier this year, such as enhancing campus safety, providing additional training programs, and implementing new reporting mechanisms. It also includes the appointment of Title VI and Title VII coordinators, as well as other commitments made in July, notably adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism.
Columbia’s public statement did not address White House claims regarding a review of Middle East programs or sharing admissions process data.
The university’s Jewish student life organization, Columbia/Barnard Hillel, viewed the settlement as a positive step towards combatting antisemitism on campus.
“This announcement acknowledges the reality of antisemitism at Columbia and its impact on Jewish students’ safety and civil rights,” stated Lavine Family Executive Director Brian Cohen. “Recognizing this fact is crucial, and I am hopeful that today’s agreement signals the beginning of meaningful, lasting change.”
Acting President Claire Shipman emphasized that the settlement upholds academic independence and allows vital research to resume. Columbia, while not admitting fault, acknowledged the necessity for reform following “unacceptable incidents” involving Jewish students and faculty.
Columbia’s public statement did not mention certain claims made by the White House, including a mandated review of Middle East programming and new data-sharing requirements for international student admissions.
“This agreement represents a significant step forward after a period of federal scrutiny and institutional uncertainty,” Shipman remarked. “The settlement was designed to uphold our core values and facilitate the resumption of our essential research partnership with the federal government. It also safeguards our independence, a key element for academic excellence and scholarly pursuits critical to the public interest.”
The White House also highlighted provisions related to women’s sports and campus safety that were not addressed in Columbia’s statement.
The White House did not immediately respond to additional requests for comment from Fox News Digital.
The full Columbia statement is available here.
