Columbia University to lay off 180 staff after Trump cuts $400M in federal funding over antisemitism response

Columbia University is set to lay off nearly 180 employees following President Donald Trump’s decision to revoke $400 million in federal funding. The move comes in response to the university’s handling of student demonstrations protesting the war in Gaza.

In a statement released Tuesday, the university said the affected staff members represent roughly 20% of those supported by the now-terminated grants.

“We have had to make deliberate, considered decisions about the allocation of our financial resources,” the university stated. “Those decisions also impact our greatest resource, our people. We understand this news will be hard.”

University spokesperson Jessica Murphy, according to AP, declined to confirm whether additional job cuts might follow. However, she noted that Columbia is exploring multiple strategies to increase financial flexibility, including freezing salaries and offering voluntary retirement packages.

READ ALSO: Why the Trump administration is pulling $400M in federal funding from Columbia University

The university also plans to scale back research operations. Some projects will be halted entirely, while others may continue with limited activity as researchers seek new funding sources.

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The terminated work spans a wide range of initiatives, including the development of an antiviral nasal spray, studies on maternal health and long COVID, opioid care for newborns, and colorectal cancer screenings, Columbia said.

While not unexpected, the layoffs have shaken many faculty members. Marcel Agueros, an astronomy professor and secretary of Columbia’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors, called the situation “dispiriting.” The organization has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s funding cut, arguing it is unlawful.

University leaders say they are in discussions with the Trump administration, hoping to reverse the decision. But Agueros warned the damage already done will not be easy to repair.

“When there’s an interruption in funding, people have to leave, new people can’t be hired, some initiatives have to be put on hold, others need to be stopped, so research stops moving forward,” he said.

The funding was rescinded in March after the administration accused Columbia of failing to combat antisemitism on campus during the Israel-Hamas conflict that erupted in October 2023.

READ ALSO: Trump administration suspends dozens of Princeton University research grants

In the weeks that followed, the university implemented several reforms demanded by the federal government as a condition for restoring support.

These included tightening student disciplinary policies, prohibiting masked demonstrations, banning protests inside academic buildings, adopting a revised definition of antisemitism, and transferring oversight of the Middle Eastern studies program to a vice provost with authority over curriculum and hiring.

Following these changes, U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon praised the university’s efforts, saying Columbia was “on the right track,” though she stopped short of committing to a funding reinstatement.

Columbia played a central role in nationwide campus protests last spring. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators erected an encampment and occupied a building in April, resulting in numerous arrests and sparking similar actions across the country.

After returning to office in January, Trump acted swiftly to eliminate federal support for academic institutions he accused of being lenient toward antisemitism.

READ ALSO: Trump administration halts $2.2B in Harvard funding amid crackdown on campus activism