The Trump administration is set to block approximately £405 million ($510 million) in federal grants and contracts to Brown University, escalating its campaign against universities accused of antisemitism on campus. The development, reported by several media outlets including The Guardian, The New York Times, and Reuters, places Brown on a growing list of elite institutions facing serious financial repercussions.
Brown University officials stated they had yet to receive formal notification but confirmed the university was among those warned last month of possible enforcement actions. “We are closely monitoring notifications related to grants, but have nothing more we can share as of now,” Provost Frank Doyle said in an email to university leaders on Thursday.
Should the freeze proceed, the impact on Brown’s operations could be severe.
According to The New York Times, the university received around £146 million ($184 million) in federal grants and contracts during the 2024 fiscal year—funds that play a crucial role in sustaining research and academic work.
The move follows similar actions taken against Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, and Harvard University—institutions that have either seen federal funding suspended or are under investigation for allegedly failing to address antisemitism effectively.
Trump targets campus protests
Former President Donald Trump has repeatedly branded pro-Palestinian student protests as antisemitic and sympathetic to Hamas, accusing universities of neglecting Jewish students’ safety. His administration has vowed to cut federal funding from any institution it views as failing to take proper action amid growing campus protests linked to the Israel-Gaza conflict.
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Last month, Columbia lost $400 million in federal funding, Princeton reported the suspension of several research grants, and Harvard is being reviewed over an estimated $9 billion in federal funds. The University of Pennsylvania has already faced a funding cut of about $175 million.
Brown’s situation is particularly notable given its decision to engage in dialogue with student protesters rather than remove Gaza encampments by force. The university’s governing board recently voted against divesting from Israel, following calls by student activists for a clear stance on the issue.
The Trump administration’s actions are not limited to antisemitism. It has also targeted diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, suspending major funding to the University of Pennsylvania over its transgender sports policies. Immigration authorities have also reportedly detained foreign students involved in protests, with some facing possible deportation.
‘We will defend academic freedom’
Despite the looming threat, Brown University’s leadership has signalled a strong stance against political interference. In a released statement, President Christina H. Paxson said that Trump’s demands “raise new and previously unthinkable questions about the future of academic freedom and self-governance.”
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She stated that if Brown’s core academic and operational activities were put at risk, the university “would be compelled to vigorously exercise our legal rights to defend these freedoms.”
For now, the university is standing firm. “These are uncertain times,” President Paxson wrote. “We remain committed to taking the steps necessary to preserve our ability to fulfil our mission as a university dedicated to advancing knowledge and understanding in service to communities, the nation, and the world.”
(With inputs from The New York Times, The Guardian)
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