The Trump administration’s involvement in social issues has often led to controversy. Even seemingly positive initiatives have been viewed as deceptive schemes targeting vulnerable organizations. This pattern appears in the administration’s efforts to combat antisemitism on university campuses.
Two departments, the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services, established a Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism. The task force targeted pro-Palestine protests related to Israel’s Gaza conflict, claiming significant antisemitism within these groups. However, these allegations were found to be exaggerated. This is concerning because it overshadows genuine antisemitic events occurring on campuses and elsewhere.
In early 2025, an investigation was launched under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. It aimed to address alleged antisemitic discrimination at 60 colleges, including Ivy League institutions like Harvard, Columbia, and Brown. Despite some real incidents, the charges did not meet the severity levels required under Title VI.
A former Justice Department attorney filed a whistleblower disclosure to Congress. This disclosure claimed the investigation was a ploy to extort money from universities. It highlighted procedural irregularities and a lack of factual basis, presenting the effort as politically motivated.
Despite insufficient proof of widespread discrimination, the administration halted millions in federal grants to the targeted universities. Columbia and Brown agreed to settle for $270 million to regain access to federal funds. Northwestern University, too, settled similar claims for $75 million. Harvard did not settle, leading to a court dismissal of the government case.
The court acknowledged serious antisemitic incidents but deemed them too isolated to infer widespread discrimination. The court and whistleblower report did not dispute the seriousness of the incidents but highlighted the investigation’s method as flawed.
In an honorable administration, the investigation’s findings would likely have been a report detailing actual antisemitic behavior, avoiding extortion claims. However, the administration’s severe accusations led to downplaying real antisemitic events.
Student participation in chants like “Globalize the Intifada” cannot be overlooked, even if protected by the First Amendment. Such slogans are perceived by many Jews and Israelis as promoting violence against Jewish people globally.
Examples of violence under this slogan include attacks in Manchester, Sydney, Mumbai, and various other locations. These incidents illustrate the slogan’s impact on the Jewish community. Trump’s administration’s manipulative approach has hindered constructive discussions on protest behavior.
Steven Lubet holds the Williams Memorial Professor Emeritus title at Northwestern University’s Pritzker School of Law.