ITHACA, N.Y. — Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is speaking out after a New York Times report stated President Donald Trump is planning to freeze more than $1 billion in federal funding to Cornell University.
The freeze comes as President Trump’s administration is investigating alleged anti-semitic discrimination and harassment. In March, Trump warned 60 colleges and universities that their funding from the federal government may be cut for allegedly failing to protect Jewish students. The claim followed anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian protests at universities across the nation last year.
Senator Gillibrand, a Democrat, said she does not believe Trump is cutting the funding in relation to the investigation. Instead, she believes the cuts are a political attack against universities and blue states.
“He’s just like a toddler who’s just lashing out,” said Gillibrand. “It’s just ineffective.”
Trump’s cuts will impact grants and contracts with the Departments of Agriculture, Defense, Education and Health & Human Services. The senator called their research “among the most important.”
Cornell University said it could not confirm if the $1 billion figure is accurate but noted that it received more than 75 stop work orders from the Department of Defense.
The university said the affected grants include research into new materials for jet engines, propulsion systems, large-scale information networks, robotics, superconductors, and space and satellite communications and cancer research.
“The university has worked diligently to create an environment where all individuals and viewpoints are protected and respected,” the university said. “We are committed to working with our federal partners to continue the contributions made by our scientists and scholars.”
Gillibrand said she supports ending anti-Semitism on college campuses.
The full list of universities under investigation can be found on the Department of Education website at this link.
