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LOS ANGELES: President Donald Trump called for a hefty $1 billion fine against the University of California system on Friday amid ongoing disputes over alleged antisemitism linked to UCLA’s handling of student protests related to Gaza in 2024.
The proposed amount, which is five times higher than what Columbia University agreed to pay to resolve similar federal antisemitism allegations, would have a devastating impact on the publicly funded university system, according to a senior official.
James Milliken, president of the UC system overseeing ten campuses including UCLA in Los Angeles, announced that the university management received the $1 billion demand on Friday, and they are currently reviewing it.
“As a public university, we are responsible for taxpayer resources, and such a massive fine would effectively cripple our nation’s leading public university system, causing significant harm to our students and all Californians,” Milliken explained.
He added, “UCLA and the UC system provide essential innovations and medical breakthroughs that save lives, support the US economy, and safeguard our national security.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom, who serves on the UC Board of Regents, responded to Trump’s demands during a press conference, stating, “We will pursue legal action.” He also accused Trump of attempting to silence academic freedom.
“He’s trying to extort us with a billion-dollar penalty unless we comply with his demands,” Newsom declared. He emphasized that the UC system is a major contributor to California’s economic strength, citing its numerous scientists, engineers, and Nobel laureates as evidence.
Sources indicate the federal government prefers to receive the payout in installments and is also requesting the university contribute $172 million to a claims fund aimed at compensating Jewish students and others affected by alleged discrimination.
The UC system, home to some of the top-ranked public universities in the nation, is already facing a more than $500 million freeze on grants for medical and science research at UCLA alone, imposed by the Trump administration.
This move appears to echo tactics previously employed against Columbia and possibly aimed at pressuring Harvard University into compliance as well.
Columbia’s settlement included commitments to follow regulations preventing race-based considerations in admissions and hiring, among other stipulations, which drew criticism from Newsom.
“We refuse to be complicit in these attacks on academic freedom or the integrity of this esteemed public institution. Unlike some other universities, we are committed to upholding the principles of free inquiry,” he stated.
Throughout 2024, numerous U.S. campuses, including Columbia and UCLA, experienced protests supporting Palestine, often met by police interventions and clashes. Former President Joe Biden urged for order to be maintained.
Trump’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement views academia as an elitist, overly progressive force hostile to the ethno-nationalist sentiments favored by many of his supporters.
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