While much of the media’s attention has been focused on President Donald Trump’s ongoing trade talks, there’s a lot more negotiating going on in the White House.

One recent example involves Columbia University, which has been a hotbed of antisemitic protests and threats for years:

Jewish students get harassed trying to leave @Columbia’s campus tonight. You can hear someone yell “Yehudim Yehudim”- “Jews Jews.” They curse and yell “go back to Poland.” Antisemitism has become the new normal here. pic.twitter.com/U2Ii5GTuLm

— David lederer (@Davidlederer6) April 21, 2024

In response to Trump’s decision to cut off nearly a half billion dollars in federal funding, however, Columbia’s administrators apparently had a change of heart.

As Fox News reported:

The Ivy League school agreed to ban masks for the purpose of concealing identity, empower 36 campus police officers with new powers to arrest students and appoint a senior vice provost with broad authority to oversee the department of Middle East, South Asian and African Studies, as well as the Center for Palestine Studies.

Sources familiar with the negotiations told Fox News that meeting the demands doesn’t mean that Columbia will get their $400 million in funding back, but that it’s just a precondition to opening talks.

In a letter, Katrina Armstrong, Columbia’s interim president, said the agreement “outlines the substantive work” the university has done over the past academic year.

“The way Columbia and Columbians have been portrayed is hard to reckon with. We have challenges, yes, but they do not define us,” she said. “We teach the brightest, most creative students in the world, and we care deeply for each and every one of them. I have every faith in our ability to overcome the greatest of challenges. We stand resilient and brilliant.”

Columbia became the epicenter of anti-Israel protests following Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Students, outsiders and faculty members voiced opposition to Israel during the demonstrations that, at times, resulted in clashes with police and the taking over of campus buildings.

The recent arrest of Syria-born Mahmoud Khalil reignited criticism against Columbia:

CBS is running cover for Columbia University Jihadist Mahmoud Khalil who’s been detained for deportation because of his role in pro-Palestine riots on CU campus.

Being in the US as a foreigner is a privilege. Khalil gave up that privilege. His wife’s sob story changes nothing. pic.twitter.com/SGajJXRrG6

— Paul A. Szypula (@Bubblebathgirl) March 21, 2025

Contrary to the claims of his lawyers and family, Mahmoud Khalil is not the innocent person they portray him to be. In April 2024, he organized and led violent protests that resulted in the takeover of Columbia University. pic.twitter.com/Vg1hcHLrqg

— Mila Joy (@MilaLovesJoe) March 22, 2025

Here’s a Columbia janitor pleading with pro-terror students, led by Mahmoud Khalil, to let him leave.

They held him hostage—he’s now suing the university. pic.twitter.com/Wr8Lno3Ow9

— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) March 19, 2025

Axios also covered the latest development:

Zoom in: The Trump administration listed nine demands Columbia had to meet as preconditions to formal negotiations about federal funding.

They included banning masks, transferring the disciplinary power over students to the university president, and allowing campus law enforcement to arrest “agitators.”

What they’re saying: The university’s interim president, Katrina Armstrong, said in a letter to students Friday that Columbia’s response was a part of its work to “make every student, faculty, and staff member safe and welcome on our campus.”

She said the “progress on several of our key priorities” has been shared with the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the General Services Administration.

Here’s some additional coverage of the major White House win:

This is a Guest Post from our friends over at WLTReport.

View the original article here.