U.S. threatens Columbia’s accreditation

The U.S. government on Wednesday threatened to revoke Columbia University’s accreditation, accusing the Ivy League institution of failing to address harassment of Jewish students amid ongoing protests over Israel’s war in Gaza.

The move places all of Columbia’s federal funding—and its academic standing—at risk, escalating the Trump administration’s campaign against what it describes as elite universities tolerating anti-Semitism and left-wing bias.

"Columbia University looked the other way as Jewish students faced harassment," U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon said on X.

She further accused the university of "breaking Title VI protections," referencing the federal civil rights law that bars discrimination based on race, color, or national origin by recipients of federal funds.

"After Hamas' October 7, 2023, terror attack on Israel, Columbia University's leadership acted with deliberate indifference towards the harassment of Jewish students on its campus," McMahon said in a statement.
"This is not only immoral, but also unlawful."

The Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights said it has formally notified Columbia’s accrediting agency—the Middle States Commission on Higher Education—of the alleged violations.

The department said Columbia’s actions render it "in violation of federal antidiscrimination laws and therefore [it] fails to meet the standards for accreditation set by the Commission."

Losing accreditation would mean Columbia could no longer receive federal funds, including student financial aid. The university has already lost $400 million in federal support under previous enforcement actions by the Trump administration. If stripped of accreditation, students would also lose eligibility for federal grants and loans used to pay tuition.

Columbia University has not publicly responded to the latest announcement as of Wednesday afternoon.