A report by the Associated Press (AP) on Friday reveals that the Trump administration disregarded longstanding precedent by ordering Columbia University to remove the leadership of an academic department—a move widely viewed as a direct assault on academic freedom and a warning to other universities under federal scrutiny.

Government officials instructed the university to place its Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies Department under “academic receivership” for at least five years. This directive was one of several conditions tied to federal funding, including the $400 million withdrawn over accusations of antisemitism.  

“It’s an escalation of a kind that is unheard of,” said Joan Scott, a historian and member of the academic freedom committee of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), “Even during the McCarthy period in the United States, this was not done.”

Trump has repeatedly threatened to cut federal funding for universities that do not align with his policies, targeting issues such as diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. On Friday, his administration escalated this effort by launching investigations into 52 universities as part of its crackdown on DEI initiatives.  

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However, Columbia University has been a particular focus of Trump’s scrutiny, as it was the starting point for a large pro-Palestinian protest movement that began with a tent encampment last spring. Officials increased pressure on the university Friday, with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stating that the Justice Department is investigating whether Columbia concealed students wanted by the US for their involvement in the demonstrations.  

Trump and other officials have labeled the protesters as “pro-Hamas”. The letter also demands that Columbia prohibit masks on campus used to hide identities “or intimidate others,” implement a revised definition of antisemitism, dismantle its current disciplinary process for students, and present a plan to “reform undergraduate admissions, international recruiting, and graduate admissions practices.”

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Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education, stated that the letter “obliterates the boundary between institutional autonomy and federal control.”

Federal control over higher education 

For generations, the federal government has allowed colleges to manage their affairs within legal constraints, with the Supreme Court recognizing academic freedom as part of the First Amendment. Higher education leaders argue that this autonomy sets American universities apart and attracts top international scholars.  

Trump has long expressed disdain for elite universities and is now aggressively asserting federal control. The government has rarely used its authority to cut funding, but a Trump administration letter sent Monday to 60 colleges warned they could lose financial support if they fail to improve campus safety for Jewish students.  

Still, few expected the administration to push for the level of control it is demanding at Columbia.  

Academic receivership, a rarely used measure typically applied in cases of financial or political instability, places a department under the oversight of an external administrator.

The letter did not specify who would assume control at Columbia, but Scott, of the AAUP, suggested the department was targeted for its critical stance on "Israel."  Meanwhile, university leaders nationwide are alarmed. Mitchell, of the American Council on Education, said college presidents were “aghast” at the administration’s demands.

"It doesn’t matter whether they’re in red states or blue states or whether they’re religious institutions or sectarian institutions. This is not the government’s role,” he said.

Some faculty members and free speech groups condemned the letter.