Trump says arrest of Palestinian activist who helped lead Columbia protests is first of "many to come"

Washington — President Trump warned Monday that this weekend's arrest of prominent Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil by federal immigration authorities is the first "of many to come" amid his administration's crackdown on students and alleged "agitators" protesting Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza.

The president wrote in a post on his social media platform Truth Social that his administration "will not tolerate" what he said is "pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American" activity on college campuses across the country, and claimed the protests are being waged by "paid agitators," rather than students. As a student at Columbia University last spring, Khalil helped lead demonstrations protesting Israel and the war in Gaza.

"We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country — never to return again," Mr. Trump wrote. "If you support terrorism, including the slaughtering of innocent men, women, and children, your presence is contrary to our national and foreign policy interests, and you are not welcome here. We expect every one of America's Colleges and Universities to comply."