Trump Signs Executive Order to Combat Antisemitism on College Campuses

President Donald Trump has signed a sweeping executive order to combat antisemitism, mandating tougher legal action against antisemitic harassment and violence, particularly on college campuses. The order directs federal agencies to identify legal tools to hold accountable individuals and institutions failing to protect Jewish students.

The executive order, signed Wednesday night, follows an unprecedented rise in antisemitic incidents since Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel. Trump stated that Jewish students have faced intimidation, harassment, and physical threats, often without proper intervention by university administrations.

Under the order, federal agencies must:

Submit reports within 60 days outlining criminal and civil actions available to combat antisemitism.

Investigate complaints against universities that fail to protect Jewish students.

Monitor and report foreign students and faculty involved in antisemitic activities and, if warranted, revoke visas and remove offenders.

The order has received mixed reactions from Jewish organizations and university communities.

Ari Shrage, president of the Columbia Jewish Alumni Association, welcomed the move, saying, "Columbia has been ground zero for anti-Israel protests, and despite our pleas, the administration has done nothing. Students on visas who harass Jewish students should no longer have the right to stay in America."

On the other hand, Jonathan Jacoby, national director of the Nexus Project, criticized the order, calling it a "cynical weaponization of Jewish safety concerns to suppress free speech and threaten vulnerable student populations."

The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) strongly supported the executive order, stating: “The surge of global antisemitism has endangered American Jews, particularly at elite universities. We commend President Trump for taking bold and decisive action.”

As antisemitic incidents escalate, Trump’s executive order marks a turning point in federal intervention on university campuses. Supporters argue it sends a strong message that antisemitic threats will not be tolerated, while critics warn of potential free speech concerns.

With university policies now under federal scrutiny, this move could reshape how antisemitism is addressed on American campuses.

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