The Trump administration has suspended dozens of federal research grants at Princeton University, escalating its campaign against Ivy League institutions over alleged campus antisemitism, reported the Associated Press, on April 2.
According to a message from Princeton President Christopher Eisgruber on April 1, agencies like the Department of Energy, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the Defense Department paused the funding, though the exact rationale behind it remains unclear.
Eisgruber further stated that the university would comply with the law, stating, “We are committed to fighting antisemitism and all forms of discrimination, and will cooperate with the government,” while vowing to defend academic freedom and due process.
This move follows a pattern of the Trump administration's method of targeting top universities. Columbia University lost $400 million in federal funds last month, agreeing to put a check on student discipline and review its Middle East studies department to ensure safety for Jewish students.
The University of Pennsylvania faced a $175 million suspension over a transgender swimmer issue, and Harvard is under scrutiny for $9 billion in grants amid an antisemitism investigation.
The Education Department’s probe into Princeton, initiated in April 2024 under the Biden administration, stems from pro-Palestinian protests.
The pressure underscores a broader dilemma for US colleges, which are heavily dependent on federal funding, as Trump’s political agenda challenges academic autonomy.
