President Trump has signed an executive order targeting antisemitism, specifically on college campuses. This comes after the administration pulled $400 million in federal funds from Columbia University for its handling of pro-Palestinian student protests in 2024. The government is demanding various changes, such as implementing a formal definition of antisemitism, banning intimidating masks, and restructuring academic departments. Columbia University also recently announced sanctions against students involved in a campus building occupation during the protests. The Trump administration has been critical of the university’s response to antisemitism and is pushing for reforms to address discrimination and hatred on campus. The order aims to combat what the administration calls an “unprecedented wave” of harassment. Students who were expelled included the president of Columbia’s student workers union. The protests erupted amid the Israel-Hamas conflict in 2023, with demands for divestment from Israeli interests and an end to U.S. military assistance to Israel. Protesters have also called for the release of a Palestinian graduate student and activist detained by immigration agents for his pro-Palestinian advocacy. The administration’s demands for reform have sparked controversy and raised concerns about freedom of expression and academic autonomy.
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