Key facts
- A whistleblower alleges Trump administration antisemitism probes into universities were politically motivated and lacked evidence.
- The complaint claims investigations were rushed, incomplete, and designed to force settlements and extract funds.
- Brown University settled for $50 million, Harvard faced funding freezes, and Columbia paid $200 million.
- The whistleblower, Haley Van Erem, cited unwillingness to participate in politically driven investigations.
- Rep. Jamie Raskin accused the probes of being a 'frame-up operation' targeting academic freedom and free speech.
A former Justice Department attorney has alleged that a Trump administration task force created to combat antisemitism pushed for settlements with Ivy League universities despite rushed and incomplete investigations that failed to establish legal violations. The whistleblower complaint, obtained by The Associated Press, claims the investigations were designed to strong-arm schools into deals for political purposes, with outcomes predetermined without regard to evidence.
The complaint, filed by Haley Van Erem, states that the work of the multi-agency task force, launched under then-Attorney General Pam Bondi in February 2025, was marked by "extraordinary procedural irregularities, predetermined outcomes without factual or legal support" and disregard for the law and Constitution. Van Erem, who left the Justice Department in May 2025, alleged that the task force also targeted Muslim professors.
The allegations come amid a broader public discussion about the administration's efforts to address antisemitism on college campuses, particularly during protests related to Israel's war in Gaza. Critics have described the government's response as heavy-handed, infringing on free speech and coercing concessions.
Rep. Jamie Raskin, a top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, publicly criticized the investigations, calling them a "fake, pre-baked frame-up operation thoroughly political in nature." He stated the project aimed to harass professors and administrators, curtail academic freedom, and strip institutions of federal grants.
The whistleblower complaint specifically addresses investigations into Brown, Harvard, and Columbia universities. Regarding Brown, it alleges the team found no evidence of Title VI violations but leadership refused a "notice of no violation" and sought a settlement. For Columbia, while evidence of discrimination was found, the investigation was accelerated and relied on unsupported allegations. Harvard faced discussions of "extraordinary funding freezes and sweeping proposed settlement terms" before an investigation could establish Title VI violations.
As a result of these probes, Columbia University agreed to pay $200 million, and Brown University agreed to pay $50 million to resolve allegations of antisemitism and racial bias without findings of wrongdoing. Previously, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to reverse cuts of over $2.6 billion in research funding for Harvard, characterizing the actions as an "ideologically-motivated assault" on universities.