Ernst Says Trump Will Impose Consequences on Universities Ignoring Anti-Semitism

Colleges and universities that have failed to address rising anti-Semitism will face significant consequences under President-elect Donald Trump, according to Iowa Senator Joni Ernst. With a Republican-controlled Senate and Trump’s return to the White House, higher education institutions could see federal funding slashed and accreditations revoked if they do not act decisively to combat campus hate.

“The new Senate Republican majority is going to work with the Trump administration to enforce the law in the face of campuses that have fanned the flames of hate through inaction,” Ernst said. “Elite universities have made their bed, and they’ve got to lie in it, but not on the taxpayers’ dime.”

Anti-Semitic incidents have surged by over 500% since the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, with Jewish students on campuses across the country reporting increased harassment and threats. Ernst criticized the Biden administration for ignoring repeated calls to intervene, accusing it of “sitting on its hands” while hate crimes soared.

In contrast, Trump has promised swift and decisive action. In a September speech, he outlined his plan to cut off federal funding to universities tolerating anti-Semitic propaganda and to revoke accreditation for institutions promoting divisive diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies.

“My first week back in the Oval Office, my administration will inform every college president that if you do not end anti-Semitic propaganda, they will lose their accreditation and federal taxpayer support,” Trump declared.

The issue isn’t limited to public universities. Private institutions like Harvard and Columbia, which receive billions in federal research funding, are also under scrutiny. Harvard, for instance, is currently being investigated for its partnerships with institutions tied to Hamas sympathizers, including Birzeit University in the West Bank.

“Harvard University’s relationship with such an institution speaks to its shameful embrace of anti-Semitism,” Ernst stated. “The American people deserve to know if Harvard has sent even a penny of the tax dollars it receives to this school that fuels hate and violence.”

Between 2018 and 2022, Harvard received $3.27 billion in federal funding. Under Trump’s proposed policies, universities like Harvard could face substantial financial repercussions, with reports suggesting Columbia University might lose up to 55% of its operating budget.

Law professor Mark Goldfeder praised Trump’s plans as transformative, noting that they would not only penalize institutions harboring anti-Semitism but also establish an alternative system of higher education. Trump has proposed taxing the massive endowments of elite universities, many of which receive funding from authoritarian regimes, and using the proceeds to create a new, world-class education institution free from political indoctrination.

“Trump is going to build a new ivory tower, and he is going to make Qatar pay for it,” Goldfeder remarked, referencing Qatar’s role as a significant donor to American universities. Georgetown University alone has received over $870 million from Qatar, an authoritarian regime with ties to extremist groups.

Trump’s commitment to combating campus anti-Semitism is part of a broader strategy to reform American education. By holding universities accountable, he aims to ensure that taxpayer dollars are used to foster inclusion and uphold civil rights not to enable hatred or support extremist agendas.

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