The Trump administration is threatening to withhold more than $1 billion in federal funding from Cornell University, claiming the school has failed to curb antisemitism on campus. But this move isn’t about protecting students—it’s a dangerous political tactic to control universities, suppress free expression, and punish schools where pro-Palestine protests have taken place.

Cornell has already received more than 75 stop-work orders on critical research projects. And while the university has taken a promising first step by joining a lawsuit against abrupt funding cuts from the Department of Energy, these actions are just the beginning of a much larger threat.

Cornell is one of the nation’s leading research institutions. Its federally funded projects advance public health, technology, and climate science, and help keep the U.S. competitive on the global stage. Cutting this funding doesn’t just hurt the university—it sets back the entire country.

This isn’t just about Cornell. The administration is demanding that universities comply with politically motivated oversight, including:

• Reporting international students to the federal government for alleged misconduct
• Allowing political appointees to audit academic departments
• Restricting faculty governance and rewriting curriculum

Harvard University recently took a powerful stand, rejecting these demands and filing their own lawsuit to defend academic independence. Cornell must do the same. Capitulating to political pressure would erode the university’s integrity and set a precedent for government interference in higher education nationwide.

We call on Cornell’s leadership to:

• Publicly reject the Trump administration’s demands
• Refuse to comply with politically motivated threats
• Join peer institutions like Harvard in defending academic freedom and civil liberties

Academic freedom is a pillar of democracy. Cornell must protect it—not just for its own community, but for students, researchers, and educators across the country.

Sign now to urge Cornell to take a stand.

Photo via The Ithaca Voice