Northwestern faculty push back on Trump administration's threats over antisemitism response

CHICAGO - Northwestern University is at the center of a national debate over antisemitism on college campuses.

More than 100 Jewish faculty and staff members spoke out Wednesday—not against the university, but against the Trump administration.

What we know:

They are responding to recent threats to cut federal funding over how the university is handling allegations of antisemitism.

In a newly-published statement, 108 Jewish faculty and staff denounced the Trump administration’s threats to withhold federal funds over what it calls a failure to protect Jewish students.

Their message comes weeks after the administration froze $790 million in grants to Northwestern, many tied to complaints surrounding a pro-Palestinian encampment on campus.

The faculty also pushed back against federal claims that Jewish students feel unsafe at Northwestern.

"As Jews who walk the campus every day and teach in its classrooms, we can reliably report that this depiction bears little resemblance to life at Northwestern. Some of us have been disappointed at times by Northwestern’s response to campus events. We recognize that antisemitism is present on college campuses, as it is in the world. Yet a fair-minded assessment would reveal a faculty and a university administration committed to the education of our students through rigorous and respectful debate."

What's next:

While acknowledging that antisemitism exists on college campuses, the faculty warned against using Jewish identity to limit free expression, arguing that such efforts could fuel more antisemitism, not less.

The statement ends with a call to protect academic freedom and preserve respectful debate—principles they say are central to both Northwestern and democracy itself.