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The Trump Administration has frozen more than $1 billion in federal funding for Cornell University, as reported by Axios. This decision comes amid investigations into allegations of antisemitism and racial discrimination linked to the university's diversity initiatives. The funding freeze affects grants critical to research in national defense, cybersecurity, and health.
Cornell University received over 75 stop-work orders from the Department of Defense but has yet to receive confirmation of the $1 billion funding pause. Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff stated, "We are actively seeking information from federal officials to learn more about the basis for these decisions." Politico reports that Cornell is the sixth Ivy League institution to face such a freeze, with similar actions taken against Columbia, Harvard, and Brown Universities.
The funding freeze is part of a broader effort by the Trump Administration to influence university policies, particularly concerning alleged civil rights violations. According to PBS NewsHour, the administration has been using federal grants as leverage to enforce compliance with its political agenda.
In addition to Cornell, Northwestern University in Chicago is also facing a funding freeze of $790 million, with federal support for Columbia, Harvard, and Brown under threat. These actions have sparked concerns about the impact on vital research projects and the potential infringement on academic freedom.