In a dramatic intervention, former US President Donald Trump has demanded the prestigious Columbia University be shut down completely as it continues to be rocked by intense pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
Speaking from a courthouse in New York, where he is facing criminal charges, Trump lambasted the Ivy League institution, branding it a "hotbed of hate" and accusing its leadership of incompetence for failing to quell the unrest.
Protests Escalate, Drawing Federal Scrutiny
The university's campus has become the epicentre of a national wave of student activism following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Protesters have established encampments and organised rallies, leading to hundreds of arrests after university authorities called in the New York Police Department.
The situation has grown so severe that the US Department of Justice has now opened an investigation into the university, specifically examining allegations of rampant antisemitism and discrimination on campus.
A Political Lightning Rod
Trump's explosive comments have instantly politicised the crisis further. He framed the campus unrest as a symptom of wider "radical leftism" and weakness, a common theme in his rhetoric. His call for closure is seen as a direct appeal to his political base ahead of the upcoming presidential election.
University officials and New York Mayor Eric Adams have pushed back against Trump's demands, emphasising the importance of free speech while also condemning any acts of hate or violence. The call to shut down a world-renowned university is unprecedented in modern American history.
The eyes of the world remain fixed on Columbia University, as the ongoing protests spark a fierce national debate about the limits of free speech, antisemitism, and the role of educational institutions in navigating deeply divisive international conflicts.
