The Trump administration froze federal funding for Cornell University and Northwestern University, totaling over $1 billion and $790 million respectively. This action is linked to civil rights investigations into allegations of antisemitism and racial discrimination at both institutions.
The funding freeze primarily involves grants and contracts from the Departments of Agriculture, Defense, Education, and Health and Human Services.
Cornell officials acknowledged receiving stop-work orders from the Department of Defense but are seeking clarification on the extent of the funding suspension. They emphasized the significance of the affected research to national interests.
This action is part of a larger campaign targeting elite universities, with other institutions like Brown, Columbia, Harvard, University of Pennsylvania, and Princeton also facing funding scrutiny.