Funding for UCLA's scientific and medical research projects worth $300 million suspended by Trump, justifying the move with allegations of antisemitism
In a significant turn of events, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is facing a funding freeze worth over $300 million from the Trump administration, following allegations of discrimination and failure to promote a research environment free of antisemitism.
The cancellation of grants, marking the first large-scale targeted funding claw-back against UCLA under the current administration, includes suspended funds from the Department of Energy and numerous grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other federal agencies [1]. A partial list reviewed by The Times adds up to roughly $200 million [2].
The decision to pull funding comes after the Department of Justice (DOJ) found UCLA guilty of violating the civil rights of Jewish and Israeli students. The investigation, initiated on May 9, 2025, concluded that UCLA violated the Equal Protection Clause by allowing hostile anti-Israel protests that turned antisemitic and excluded Jewish students from equal access to campus spaces [3][4][5].
The settlement, which is the largest campus antisemitism-related payout to date, requires UCLA to implement changes protecting Jewish students from further discrimination on campus and safeguarding their civil rights [1][2][4][5]. The university has agreed to pay $6.13 million to resolve the matter and is subject to a permanent court order prohibiting exclusionary or discriminatory behavior [3][4][5].
UCLA's Chancellor, Julio Frenk, has stated that federal research grants are not handouts, but vital to the country's health, safety, and economic future. He emphasized that grants lead to medical breakthroughs, economic advancement, improved national security, and global competitiveness [5].
The university is actively evaluating its best course of action and will be in constant communication as decisions move forward. Frenk has also stated that UCLA is reviewing the findings of the DOJ's investigation closely [2].
Meanwhile, UCLA has settled a lawsuit with Jewish students for $6.45 million over claims that the 2024 encampment had discriminated against them [1].
In a separate development, the DOJ issued a notice to UCLA and a warning of a pending lawsuit, stating the campus violated Jewish student civil rights last year during a pro-Palestinian encampment [2]. The Department of Justice has given UCLA a Tuesday deadline to communicate its desire to negotiate, threatening a federal lawsuit if not [2].
This resolution arises amid broader federal actions toward universities mishandling antisemitism, with Columbia University also having settled for $200 million after similar allegations [1]. The DOJ’s findings focused on violations based on religion, race, and national origin, requiring UCLA to implement changes protecting Jewish students from further discrimination on campus [1][2][4][5].
Sources: [1] Los Angeles Times, UCLA settles antisemitism discrimination case for $6.13 million, 2025 [2] The New York Times, UCLA faces $300 million funding freeze over antisemitism allegations, 2025 [3] The Washington Post, UCLA violated civil rights of Jewish and Israeli students, DOJ finds, 2025 [4] The Jewish Journal, UCLA settles antisemitism discrimination case for $6.13 million, 2025 [5] CNN, UCLA faces funding freeze over antisemitism allegations, 2025
- The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is currently facing a funding freeze worth over $300 million from the government, following allegations of discrimination and failure to promote a research environment free of antisemitism.
- The cancellation of grants includes suspended funds from the Department of Energy and numerous grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other federal agencies.
- The decision to pull funding comes after the Department of Justice (DOJ) found UCLA guilty of violating the civil rights of Jewish and Israeli students.
- UCLA's Chancellor, Julio Frenk, stated that federal research grants are vital to the country's health, safety, and economic future, leading to medical breakthroughs, economic advancement, improved national security, and global competitiveness.
- The university is actively evaluating its best course of action and will be in constant communication as decisions move forward.
- In a separate development, the DOJ issued a notice to UCLA and a warning of a pending lawsuit, stating the campus violated Jewish student civil rights last year during a pro-Palestinian encampment.
- The university has settled a lawsuit with Jewish students for $6.45 million over claims that the 2024 encampment had discriminated against them.
- This resolution arises amid broader federal actions toward universities mishandling antisemitism, with other institutions, such as Columbia University, also having settled for significant amounts after similar allegations.
