President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to leverage federal oversight of accreditation bodies to combat campus antisemitism, which has intensified since the October 7 attacks in Israel.
"Colleges will and must end the antisemitic propaganda or they will lose their accreditation and federal support," Trump declared during his virtual address to the Republican Jewish Coalition in Las Vegas.
While accreditation decisions rest with independent organizations, the federal government maintains significant oversight authority over these accrediting bodies.
Following Trump's decisive victory against Vice President Harris and the Republican sweep of Congress, former Trump administration officials expressed optimism about renewed congressional scrutiny of university policies. This marks a departure from what they characterize as the Biden administration's more restrained approach to campus antisemitism.
"President Trump has consistently prioritized addressing campus antisemitism, and we anticipate this will be a key focus of the incoming administration," noted Kenneth Marcus, Brandeis Center chairman and former education official under both Bush and Trump. Marcus specifically highlighted Trump's proposed approach to non-citizen protesters who violate laws, adding, "We can expect decisive action on this front."
* The Jewish Insider contributed to this article.
