Columbia University Caves to Trump; Pro-Palestinian Students Fume

Columbia University announced new actions on Friday amid a fiery back and forth with President Donald Trump over protests and alleged antisemitism at the school.

Newsweek reached out to Columbia student workers via email Friday night for comment.

The Context

Columbia proved to be a flashpoint for campus protest last year against Israel as students at campuses across the United States demanded institutions and the government cut ties with Israel over its military action in the Gaza Strip.

Students at Columbia created an encampment on the main undergraduate campus, and some students broke into and barricaded Hamilton Hall, which they renamed "Hind's Hall" for Hind Rajab, a 6-year-old Palestinian girl who was found killed after reportedly making pleas for help to first responders in Gaza.

What To Know

Trump previously demanded that Columbia implement changes by revoking control of an international studies department and implementing additional policy changes or permanently lose federal funding amounting to $400 million.

Interim Columbia University President Katrina Armstrong on Friday announced the university would adopt the changes, such as banning masks that conceal someone's identity and hiring 36 campus officers "who will have the ability to remove individuals from campus and/or arrest them when appropriate."

The university will also appoint a new senior vice provost to review "programs in regional areas across the University, starting immediately with the Middle East," according to the announcement.

"This past year has been one of enormous progress, where our community of thoughtful faculty, students, and stakeholders has shaped a principled and methodical approach to meeting the moment's challenges," Armstrong wrote in a statement issued on Friday afternoon.

"Our response to the government agencies outlines the substantive work we've been doing over the last academic year to advance our mission, ensure uninterrupted academic activities, and make every student, faculty, and staff member safe and welcome on our campus," she wrote, adding: "The way Columbia and Columbians have been portrayed is hard to reckon with. We have challenges, yes, but they do not define us."

The decision comes amid growing backlash against the Trump administration for the arrest and potential deportation of Columbia graduate student and pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, who played a major role in the campus protests against Israel last year. He and other students, using pseudonyms, sued to prevent the release of their disciplinary records to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

Columbia last week announced that it had expelled or suspended some of the students who occupied Hamilton Hall last year, and it also temporarily revoked the diplomas of some students involved in the protests who have since graduated.

The funding threat against Columbia is just the latest move from the Trump administration as it seeks greater oversight of academic institutions: Last week, the U.S. Department of Education announced investigations into more than 50 universities—including major public institutions—for alleged racial discrimination in admissions and scholarship programs.

What People Are Saying

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in an emailed statement to Newsweek said: "Columbia University has officially confirmed that there is no depth to which it will not sink, no academic principle it will not disregard, and no student or professor it will not sacrifice, to satisfy the demands of the Israeli government's supporters, including the anti-Palestinian fanatics controlling the Trump administration. Singling out its Middle Eastern, South Asian and African Studies Department for special supervision in response to demands is nothing short of a cowardly, racist capitulation."

"Our country is living through a new McCarthy era, and Columbia is its worst symbol," the statement continued. "We encourage every principled faculty and staff member at Columbia to take a lesson from the bravery of their students and join us in demanding the resignations of President Armstrong and every trustee member who endorsed her unconscionable decision."

"Let's be very clear. The death of academic freedom at Columba is a consequence of the anti-Palestinian politicians, lobby groups and donors who could not tolerate the sight of students--Jews, Christians and Muslims, African-Americans and Arabs-Americans, and others of various backgrounds—protesting for Palestinian human rights," the statement said.

"Rather than considering student demands to divest from Israel and other human rights violators, Columbia preferred to call in the NYPD to brutalize their students, turn over their students to ICE, and silence criticism of the Israeli government under the guise of countering antisemitism," the group added. "But it wasn't enough for Israel's supporters. Now Columbia has effectively given the federal government veto power over their own school."

"Columbia University has fallen, and now we must ensure that no other school follows in their shameful steps."

Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine in a post to X, formerly Twitter, wrote: "rather than stand up against fascist administration, armstrong and cu trustees have bent over backwards to cater to zionist interests—even as the genocide in gaza escalates once again."

"Things to highlight:
1. THEY ARE OPENING AND "ADVANCING" THE TEL AVIV GLOBAL CENTER
2. de facto columbia police force with power to arrest
2. a mask ban, from a doctor
3. mesaas under what is essentially receivership"

Hasan Piker, a popular left-wing influencer with over 2 million followers on Twitch, wrote on X: "as israel carried out its largest child massacre in these last few days, columbia university handed the keys to the trump admin to aggressively pursue and potentially deport any student who speaks out about it."

House Committee on Education & Workforce wrote on X: "BREAKING -->[Columbia] FOLDS to the Trump admin's demands to protect Jewish students and faculty. School administrators failed to hold pro-terror mobs accountable for rampant antisemitism. Now, masks are banned during protests and safety measures are increasing. Republicans and the Trump admin are stopping it."

What Happens Next

The university will implement the changes announced on Friday, but it remains unclear how long it will take to implement the policy changes or whether further changes will be announced in the coming weeks.

Update, 3/21/25 at 8:20 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional information, context and comments.

Update, 3/21/25 at 9:58 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with a statement from CAIR.