President Donald Trump has launched a forceful crackdown on antisemitism on college campuses, signing a series of executive orders aimed at curbing anti-Jewish sentiment and enforcing stricter immigration policies. His directives mandate that federal agencies take decisive action against individuals engaging in unlawful antisemitic activities, including the removal of student visa holders found guilty of such actions.
“It shall be the policy of the United States to combat anti-Semitism vigorously, using all available and appropriate legal tools, to prosecute, remove, or otherwise hold to account the perpetrators of unlawful anti-Semitic harassment and violence,” the order states.
The Department of Justice has been instructed to take immediate steps to uphold law and order, particularly in educational institutions accused of tolerating antisemitism. A White House fact sheet emphasizes that these measures are a response to rising anti-Jewish incidents at various universities following the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks in Israel.
Trump has also taken aim at the educational system by signing two additional executive orders. One will strip federal funding from K-12 schools that incorporate critical race theory (CRT) or radical gender ideology in their curricula. The second order focuses on expanding school choice, allowing parents greater control over their children’s education.

Furthering his efforts to uphold American heritage, Trump has reinstated an executive order from June 26, 2020, aimed at protecting national monuments and memorials. This move follows recent instances of vandalism against historical landmarks, such as the defacement of the Department of the Treasury’s exterior and the destruction of statues in Lafayette Square in Washington, D.C. The administration has linked these actions to pro-Hamas demonstrators and left-wing radicals.
In addition, Trump has established the White House Task Force on Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday. The group is tasked with organizing a grand commemoration of the nation’s independence on July 4, 2026.

Trump’s orders come amid mounting pressure from House Republicans, who recently released a report urging stricter federal oversight on antisemitic activities within higher education. The report suggests conditioning federal aid for colleges based on their ability to enforce strict anti-bias policies.
Colleges such as Columbia University have faced scrutiny for hosting anti-Israel protests, which, according to reports, included antisemitic rhetoric and intimidation. GOP lawmakers have accused the Biden administration of obstructing efforts to obtain data on student visa holders participating in these demonstrations.

The Trump administration has framed these actions as a necessary response to what they describe as a “coordinated assault on public order.” The White House fact sheet claims that the previous administration ignored rising antisemitism on campuses and failed to take meaningful action against agitators.
Trump’s support for Israel has also been reinforced with his nomination of Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. A vocal critic of college administrators who have failed to address antisemitism, Stefanik gained national attention for grilling Ivy League leaders over their handling of anti-Jewish rhetoric. Her questioning of Harvard’s then-president, Claudine Gay, and University of Pennsylvania’s Liz Magill in December 2023 went viral, leading to their resignations.
In a broader policy move, Trump’s administration initially announced a freeze on all federal aid and assistance programs, a decision that was swiftly challenged in court. A federal judge placed a temporary pause on the freeze following lawsuits from Democratic attorneys general, leading the administration to rescind the measure.
Trump’s crackdown on campus antisemitism and leftist ideologies mirrors similar actions from his first term. In 2020, he threatened to cut federal funding from cities failing to prevent violent anti-police protests. Though his presidency ended before he could enforce the policy, his current executive orders signal a renewed commitment to wielding federal authority to enforce his vision of law and order.
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