In a dramatic escalation of federal scrutiny over campus protests, President Donald Trump has formally demanded a $1 billion fine from the University of California system, citing alleged antisemitism in UCLA’s handling of 2024 student demonstrations related to the Gaza conflict.
The demand, delivered Friday, is five times the amount Columbia University agreed to pay in a similar federal settlement. The Trump administration is also requesting an additional $172 million be paid into a claims fund to compensate Jewish students and others who were allegedly discriminated against during the protests.
University of California President James Milliken confirmed receipt of the demand and expressed grave concern over its implications. “A payment of this scale would completely devastate our country’s greatest public university system and inflict great harm on our students and all Californians,” Milliken stated. He emphasized the UC system’s vital contributions to medical research, technological innovation, and national security.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, a member of the UC Board of Regents, responded defiantly during a press conference: “We’ll sue. He has threatened us through extortion with a billion-dollar fine unless we do his bidding.” Newsom defended the UC system as a cornerstone of California’s economy and academic excellence, noting its record number of scientists, engineers, and Nobel laureates.
The Trump administration’s move follows a broader pattern of targeting elite academic institutions. Similar tactics were used against Columbia University and are reportedly being applied to Harvard University as well. Critics argue the actions are part of a broader campaign by the MAGA movement to challenge what it sees as liberal bias in academia.
The UC system is already facing a freeze on over $500 million in federal grants for medical and scientific research at UCLA, further compounding the financial strain.