The Donald Trump administration has frozen over $1 billion in federal funding for Cornell University.
According to the White House, about $790 million has also been frozen for Northwestern University to enable investigations into alleged civil rights violations.
This follows threats by Trump to block federal funding for schools over pro-Palestinian campus protests, as well as other issues such as diversity, equity and inclusion programs, and transgender policies.
The White House on Tuesday night confirmed the funding pauses and offered no further details on what they entail or which grants to the schools are being affected.
In a statement, Cornell revealed that it had received more than 75 stop-work orders earlier on Tuesday from the Department of Defense.
The orders were related to research “profoundly significant to American national defense, cybersecurity, and health.”; However, Cornell also noted that it had not otherwise received any information confirming $1 billion in frozen grants.
Northwestern claimed it was aware of media reports about the funding freeze but had yet to receive any official notification from the government, insisting that it has cooperated in the investigation.
“Federal funds that Northwestern receives drive innovative and life-saving research, like the recent development by Northwestern researchers of the world’s smallest pacemaker, and research fueling the fight against Alzheimer’s disease.
“This type of research is now in jeopardy,”; a Northwestern spokesperson told Reuters.
