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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Columbia University’s $200 million-plus discrimination settlement with the Trump administration is laying the groundwork for a culture of accountability, Education Secretary Linda McMahon shared in an interview with Fox News Digital.
President Donald Trump’s administration is celebrating what it considers a “historic settlement” with the university that has become the epicenter of protests rejecting the war in Gaza since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel.
“I’m very pleased that we were able to bring those negotiations to a close and have an excellent working agreement now with Columbia. They knew they had an antisemitism problem,” McMahon said ahead of her remarks at the National Governors Association (NGA) Summer Meeting in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The settlement not only combats antisemitism on college campuses, it takes measures to remove discriminatory hiring practices and enhance campus safety, the education secretary explained.
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“This agreement is going to be an excellent template for other universities to be able to use as well,” McMahon said.
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Several Jewish leaders have spoken to Fox News Digital about the “existential threat” they say Jewish New Yorkers are facing since 33-year-old socialist Zohran Mamdani became the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City.
During the primary campaign, Mamdani’s refusal to condemn the phrase “Globalize the intifada” and recognize Israel as a Jewish state triggered accusations he was antisemitic.
He has since said he would discourage others from using the phrase and has continuously affirmed his commitment to condemning the rise of antisemitism in New York City.
Yuval David, a Jewish advocate and advisor, told Fox News Digital that Mamdani, as mayor, would “enable, and more importantly, empower antisemitic protesters.”
In light of the Columbia University settlement, Fox News Digital asked McMahon if the Trump administration was worried about a surge in antisemitism on New York City college campuses if Mamdani is elected in November.
“We didn’t discuss that as part of what we were doing. We weren’t looking at a specific incident that might occur in the future,” McMahon explained.
But the education secretary said what is most important in Columbia University’s settlement is that it will “lay the groundwork, so regardless of what incidents may or may not occur, you’re prepared for it.”
McMahon said Columbia now has a “great working relationship” with the New York Police Department (NYPD).
The settlement includes Columbia’s commitment to “enforcing strict rules against disruptive protests, prohibiting masked protests and maintaining trained security officers and ongoing cooperation with the New York Police Department.”
“They won’t hesitate to bring them in to make arrests,” McMahon warned. “There will be consequences. People will be expelled. They’ll be suspended. If there’s criminal activity, they can go to jail.
“The accountability factor of this agreement is incredibly strong, and that’s the message we intend to send, that students on campus need to be in an environment for study.”
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