Daijiworld Media Network – New York

New York, Mar 22: US President Donald Trump’s dispute with Columbia University dates back 25 years, stemming from a failed $400 million real estate deal. When the university did not meet his demands, Trump stormed out of a meeting with its trustees and later ridiculed the university president as ‘a dummy’ and ‘a total moron.’

Today, the feud has taken a new turn, involving free speech, academic freedom, and federal oversight of higher education. Trump’s administration has pressured Columbia to overhaul its policies in response to antisemitism concerns on campus, even canceling federal grants and contracts worth $400 million.

Some former university officials now speculate that the past real estate dispute may have fueled Trump’s current stance against the Ivy League institution, which has produced 87 Nobel laureates. The ongoing clash highlights the intersection of personal grievances, politics, and the federal government’s influence over academic institutions.