After Harvard and Columbia University, the Trump administration has turned its attention to George Washington University (GWU), alleging it failed to safeguard Jewish students during last year’s pro-Palestinian protests, as per a report by Reuters.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced this week that the private institution failed to protect Jewish students amid what officials describe as a “climate of antisemitic harassment”.

Pattern of scrutiny

The move marks the latest in a growing list of elite universities, like Harvard, Columbia, Northwestern, Cornell, and Brown, that have come under similar scrutiny from Trump’s DOJ in recent months following pro-Palestinian campus protests.

Last spring, GWU saw a weeks-long demonstration in which students erected encampments on campus for two weeks. The DOJ now alleges that the university was “deliberately indifferent” to antisemitic discrimination and harassment during that period.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon outlined the findings in a letter to GWU President Ellen Granberg, stating the DOJ “intends to proceed with enforcement” and is seeking “immediate remediation.”

The letter suggests the university could avoid harsher measures by agreeing to a “voluntary resolution agreement”.

Potential consequences

While the DOJ did not specify possible enforcement actions, a precedent has already been set.

In July, after issuing similar findings at UCLA, the White House suspended more than $500 million in federal grants, prompting the university into negotiations, that reportedly included financial penalties and political concessions.

GWU responds

GWU spokesperson Shannon McClendon confirmed the university had received the DOJ letter, and was reviewing it.

“GW condemns antisemitism, which has absolutely no place on our campuses or in a civil and humane society,” McClendon said in an emailed statement. 

“Our actions clearly demonstrate our commitment to addressing antisemitic actions and promoting an inclusive campus environment,” she added.