Trump threatens to withhold $400 million in grants to Columbia University, saying it must make drastic corrections to its standards

The Trump administration delivered an ultimatum to Columbia University: drastically correct its admissions and student discipline policies or else the federal government will not sit down to evaluate a path to revoke the cancellation of $400 million in federal grants and contracts.

According to a report in the New York Times, the Trump administration claimed that the ultimatum was implemented because of Columbia's failure to protect Jewish students from harassment and rampant antisemitism.

Particularly, the administration asked Columbia to formalize its definition of antisemitism, prohibit the wearing of masks "intended to conceal identity or intimidate" and place the Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian and African Studies under an "academic receivership."

"We expect your immediate compliance," officials from the General Services Administration, the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services wrote, according to the NYT.

These requests are a "precondition for formal negotiations regarding Columbia University’s continued financial relationship with the United States government," noted the Trump administration, which is evaluating federal grants to all universities in the country that, in its view, failed to uphold American values, fight antisemitism and was unwilling to abide by key presidential orders.

After receiving the Trump administration's ultimatum, a Columbia spokeswoman confirmed Thursday that Columbia officials were "reviewing the letter" from the three government agencies, adding, "We are committed at all times to advancing our mission, supporting our students, and addressing all forms of discrimination and hatred on our campus."

The ultimatum came despite the fact that, hours earlier, Columbia announced a series of disciplinary sanctions against pro-Hamas students who occupied one of the campus buildings last year.