The article discusses Columbia University's reaction to the Trump administration's decision to withhold $400 million in federal funding. This occurred despite the university possessing a substantial $15 billion endowment.
The central question posed is why Columbia University did not simply reject the funding cuts and rely on its substantial endowment.
Alumni expressed indignation at the university's handling of the situation, questioning the decision to accept the Trump administration's demands.
The article frames the situation as the beginning of an assault by Donald Trump's administration on prestigious American universities.