ISTANBUL

The Trump administration plans to pursue a consent decree that would place Columbia University under federal oversight following concerns about the university's handling of alleged antisemitism on campus, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.

The administration's task force is targeting a consent decree because it "doesn't think Columbia is a good-faith actor willing to make the significant changes on campuses" in handling protests related to Israel's war in Gaza, which has killed over 50,800 Palestinians, according to people familiar with the plan.

A consent decree would give a federal judge responsibility for ensuring Columbia changes its practices according to federal government guidelines, potentially lasting for years.

Columbia would have to agree to this for a consent decree to take effect.

Neither the White House nor Columbia University provided immediate comment on the report.

The development comes amid escalating tensions between the administration and the university over pro-Palestinian activism on campus. The Trump administration recently canceled $400 million in federal grants and contracts to Columbia, citing the university's alleged failure to protect Jewish students during pro-Palestinian protests.

Columbia has faced significant administrative upheaval, with interim president Katrina Armstrong resigning on March 28, 2025, just one week after the university implemented policy changes demanded by the administration.

Earlier in March, Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia graduate student involved in pro-Palestinian activism, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.