Linda McMahon says Columbia must fully comply with Trump admin's demands to have federal funds restored
Education Secretary Linda McMahon recently stated that, in order to have its federal funding restored, Columbia University must comply with the Trump administration’s demands, rather than just claiming to implement the reforms.
In private meetings with Columbia faculty, Columbia's interim president has reportedly said that the school has not implemented a mask ban, despite having pledged to the administration to do so days earlier.
U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon recently stated that, in order to have its federal funding restored, Columbia University in New York must comply with the Trump administration’s demands, rather than just claiming to implement the reforms.
On Monday, McMahon was asked by a reporter: “What happens if it emerges that Columbia is not meeting the demands and complying with the agreements that they said they would?”
“They have to abide and comply with the terms that we have set down and talked with them and they’ve agreed to,” McMahon responded, reported The Washington Free Beacon. “And that was kind of the basis to get them to the real first step of total negotiations to restore the funding … so they’ll have to do that.”
When asked about the potential restoration of federal funding, McMahon replied: “There’s not a time frame.”
In early March, the Trump administration stripped $400 million in funding from Columbia for not adequately addressing reports of anti-Semitism on its campus.
The administration demanded that Columbia give its security “full law enforcement authority” and prohibit the use of masks during demonstrations for the purpose of hiding activists’ identities.
In response to the Trump administration revoking the federal funding, the Columbia administration agreed to the federal government’s demands, including by pledging to prohibit masks.
“Let there be no confusion: I commit to these changes implemented, with the full support of Columbia’s senior leadership team and the Board of Trustees,” Columbia Interim President Katrina Armstrong stated.
Yet, according to The Wall Street Journal, in private meetings with Columbia faculty and staff, Armstrong reportedly said that the school had not implemented a mask ban, despite having pledged to do so days earlier.
Shortly after the university restricted wearing masks during protests, anti-Israel students tested the Columbia administration’s resolve to enforce the measure, with dozens of pro-Palestine demonstrators hosting a protest while wearing masks on March 24.
“They’re protesting the mask ban,” one Columbia student told The New York Post. “They’re defying what they perceive is a mask ban. There is no mask ban.”
Campus Reform has contacted Columbia University and the Department of Education for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
