Cornell and Northwestern Universities were the latest to see their federal funding stopped as the Trump administration continues to review higher education grants.
Some $1 billion in funds were frozen for Cornell, while $790 million were frozen for Northwestern. Both universities claimed they were not notified by the White House on the matter. This follows Columbia University losing about $400 million worth of grants under President Donald Trump’s executive order on combating antisemitism.
“While we have not received information that would confirm this figure, earlier today Cornell received more than 75 stop work orders from the Department of Defense related to research that is profoundly significant to American national defense, cybersecurity, and health,” a university statement read. While Northwestern did not report stop work orders, the university was aware of reports regarding its government grants.
“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. This type of research is now in jeopardy,” a Northwestern spokesperson said.
The Health and Human Services Department, the Education Department, and the General Services Administration are reviewing universities to determine whether they violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by allowing on-campus protests to escalate to the point of having antisemitic themes. Neither department within the multi-agency task force has commented publicly on Cornell or Northwestern.
HARVARD TURNS TO BORROWING BONDS AMID FEDERAL FUNDING UNCERTAINTY
“All Federal Funding will STOP for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests,” President Donald Trump wrote in a Truth Social post last month. “Agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came. American students will be permanently expelled or, depending on on the crime, arrested.”
In addition to his executive order on antisemitism, Trump has signed several orders on diversity, equity, and inclusion, among them one that prohibits the policy from schools. Even the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, which technically falls outside of the purview of this order, complied in removing almost 400 books from its libraries in the name of removing DEI.
