Trump Administration Demands $1B Fine from University of California over Antisemitism Claims

President Donald Trump has demanded a $1 billion fine from the University of California system over allegations of antisemitism related to the university's handling of 2024 student protests concerning Israel's Gaza assault. This unprecedented demand, which is five times the amount Columbia University agreed to pay in a similar case, also includes $172 million proposed for a claims fund benefiting Jewish students affected by discrimination. University President James Milliken and California Governor Gavin Newsom have strongly opposed the fine, warning that it would devastate the public university system and accusing the Trump administration of attempting to silence academic freedom. The administration has also frozen over $500 million in federal grants to UCLA, further escalating tensions. Newsom emphasized the importance of the UC system in driving California's economy, innovation, and scientific achievements. The situation reflects a broader pattern of the Trump administration leveraging financial and legal pressures on major universities amid politically charged campus protests.