US President Donald Trump on Tuesday vowed to cut all federal funding for colleges and universities that permit what he called “illegal” protests, adding that students participating in such demonstrations could face expulsion or arrest.
“All Federal Funding will STOP for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came. American students will be permanently expelled or, depending on the crime, arrested. NO MASKS! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
Ongoing campus protests
Trump’s remarks come as pro-Palestinian protests continue on US campuses, triggered by Israel’s airstrikes in Gaza following the October 7 Hamas attacks. At Barnard College, students stormed a campus building after two were expelled for disrupting a Columbia University class on Israeli history.
What qualifies as an ‘illegal’ protest?
Under US law, a protest becomes illegal if it violates regulations such as:
- Engaging in violence, property damage, or harm to individuals
- Demonstrating on private property without permission
- Ignoring police orders to disperse
- Advocating criminal activities, including hate speech or inciting violence
The First Amendment protects free speech and assembly, but the government can impose “time, place, and manner” restrictions. The ACLU states that restrictions must be neutral, meaning the government “may not prevent a protest because it has an anti-war message” but can regulate noise levels or require permits for large gatherings.
Trump’s threat to revoke federal funding raises legal questions, as universities operate under both state and federal protections for free expression. However, past administrations have used funding as leverage to influence campus policies, setting the stage for a potential legal battle.
