Columbia University on the cusp of a deal with Trump administration, paying millions to unlock federal funding

The university is expected to pay a multimillion-dollar settlement to victims of alleged civil rights violations and implement changes to its diversity, equity and inclusion policies.

Columbia University is on the verge of striking an agreement with the Trump administration following months of negotiation to restore federal funding to the school, according to two sources familiar with the deal. Columbia is expected to pay a multimillion-dollar settlement to victims of alleged civil rights violations, implement changes to its diversity, equity and inclusion policies, boost transparency about hiring and admissions efforts, and take other steps to improve security and safety on campus for Jewish students, according to one source familiar with the matter. In return, the source said, the school will regain access to over $400 million in federal funding the Trump administration stripped earlier this year. Trump administration officials and officials from Columbia are expected to meet next week at the White House, the source said. The deal has not been finalized and remains subject to change. The administration believes the deal, the terms of which were first reported by the Washington Free Beacon, could serve as a blueprint for other schools. A second source familiar with the matter noted the Trump administration has been approaching its negotiations with universities, including Columbia and Harvard University, with a framework of the schools paying a financial penalty. The exact dollar amount is unclear, though it varies by school. Elite schools like Columbia and Harvard University, among others, have faced intense pressure from the Trump administration to crack down on antisemitism on their campuses – or face the possible loss of significant federal funding. The effort is part of a broad administration push for policy changes at universities – including over diversity, equity and inclusion and other initiatives – that President Donald Trump sees as a winning political issue. But it is one that raises major questions about academic freedom and the role of the federal government on college campuses.