Trump sends warning to ASU about on-campus antisemitism
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Arizona State University is one of several dozen universities accused by the Trump administration of allowing antisemitic harassment and discrimination to run rampant on campus.
Why it matters: President Trump and his allies have long criticized universities for what they've called "wokeness" and "left-wing indoctrination," and now Trump is threatening to pull federal funding from schools that don't rein in progressive activity on campus, including limiting pro-Palestinian protests.
- It's not an empty threat. Last week, the administration announced it would rescind $400 million in federal grants and contracts from Columbia University because of the school's "continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students."
Catch up quick: The U.S. Department of Education announced Monday it sent letters to 60 universities "presently under investigation … relating to antisemitic harassment and discrimination," including ASU, warning they could also lose federal dollars if they fail to protect Jewish students.
Zoom in: ASU would not provide a copy of the letter from the Department of Education but in a statement to Axios said it was based on a 2023 complaint filed by the editor of Campus Reform, a conservative news organization covering higher education.
- Per Campus Reform, the complaint centered on pro-Palestinian demonstrations allowed to occur on campus in the days after the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel.
- Then-President Biden's Department of Education opened an investigation based on the complaint in 2024, but the Trump administration claims it was allowed to "languish unresolved under the previous administration."
What they're saying: "Arizona State University has a long history of opposing antisemitic rhetoric and acts of intimidation whether they occur on our campuses or in the community," the university said in a statement.
Between the lines: The Anti-Defamation League rated ASU "better than most" universities in its most recent Campus Antisemitism Report Card.
- The organization, which tracks antisemitism globally, commended the school for its "swift actions" to address pro-Palestinian encampments on campus last year.
The other side: The Arizona chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-AZ) said the Department of Education's letter sets "a dangerous precedent for silencing political speech on college campuses."
- "Suppressing student voices under the guise of combating discrimination undermines the very principles of democracy and academic freedom," CAIR-AZ executive director Azza Abuseif said in a statement.
The intrigue: The Biden administration's Department of Justice opened an investigation into ASU police last year after four women said their hijabs were removed by officers during their arrest at an on-campus pro-Palestinian protest last April.
- Zayed Al-Sayyed, an attorney for the women, told Axios this week that he has not received an update from the DOJ on the investigation.
- He said the women plan to file a lawsuit alleging civil rights violations "very shortly."
What we're watching: Trump has also threatened to block federal funding for universities that allow what he deemed "illegal protests."
- The Arizona House passed a bill last week banning overnight and long-term encampments on university campuses.
The bottom line: ASU president Michael Crow told Axios he's unconcerned about Trump's "illegal protests" threat or the state bill because the university has "elaborate policies relative to protests."
- "We have protected and defended free speech in every possible way. We're not in violation of any of the rules — the old rules, the new rules, the rules that might be coming, we're not in violation of any of these," Crow said.