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Politico
8 minutes ago
- Politico
Trump Bruins a good time at UCLA
BILLION-DOLLAR BATTLE: The Trump administration's battle to dominate higher education has come to California — and this time, it involves one of the country's largest university systems and the taxpayers who help fund it. The University of California, Los Angeles is in court today over more than half a billion dollars the federal government has frozen over antisemitism allegations stemming from last year's Israel-Gaza campus demonstrations. During virtual arguments this afternoon, Judge Rita F. Lin sounded skeptical of some of the administration's arguments, questioning how the Trump administration's explanation that the cuts were an 'indefinite suspension' rather than a 'termination' would comply with a prior ruling. The hearing came days after Gov. Gavin Newsom blasted Donald Trump's demand for $1 billion from UCLA in return for millions of dollars in frozen federal research grants, describing the president's move as an attempt to 'silence academic freedom.' Newsom also floated the idea of another lawsuit. 'He has threatened us through extortion with a billion-dollar fine unless we do his bidding,' the governor told reporters on Friday. Asked about a potential lawsuit, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt today said the governor could 'bring it on,' repeating a refrain Newsom frequently uses against Trump. Here's what we're watching after a week of rapid-fire developments. UCLA is the first public institution the Trump administration has targeted. The president has successfully gone after a handful of prestigious private schools, settling with Brown and Columbia in exchange for keeping their funding. Harvard is also reportedly close to a settlement, and George Washington University appears to be next on Trump's hit list. UCLA's status as a taxpayer-funded school means any major financial moves could have a trickle-down effect on the University of California system and the state, as a whole. It also gives state leaders more say over its actions, although they haven't always agreed with university leaders' decisions — lest we forget the demise of the Pac-12 over Newsom's objections. It's about the money, but it's not just about the money. Trump is using federal funding as leverage to force policy changes at UCLA, as he's done at the other schools that have settled. His administration wants the university to stop giving scholarships based on race or ethnicity, end DEI incentives for hiring, stop using proxies for race in its admissions process and share information on test scores, grade point averages and applicant race. Assembly Budget Chair Jesse Gabriel told Playbook it's 'hard to take this seriously,' and it seems more related to 'political gamesmanship.' 'They're asking for a billion-dollar settlement in exchange for not removing roughly $500 million in funding,' he said. 'It just doesn't make any sense. So there's a couple pieces of this that just don't add up.' Trump says the settlement is about antisemitism. California Jewish leaders disagree. The president's administration is using the protest movement and related claims of discrimination to exercise authority over UCLA. But the Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California today released a statement saying it 'strongly opposes' Trump's push for a settlement, saying the move would 'drive a wedge between the Jewish community and other vulnerable groups that are harmed.' 'As a public institution, such a settlement would ironically divert public funds from other initiatives, including those that combat antisemitism and hate,' the group said. UCLA already paid $6.5 million to settle a separate case brought by Jewish students and a professor related to pro-Palestinian encampments protesters constructed on campus last year. Gabriel and his Legislative Jewish Caucus co-chair Scott Wiener, a Democratic state senator from San Francisco, both said rising antisemitism is real, but they've been encouraged to see changes enacted by UCLA's new chancellor, Julio Frenk. They said Trump's settlement demand isn't really about protecting Jewish students. 'He does not care about Jews or antisemitism,' Wiener told Playbook. 'He is using Jews as human shields to accomplish his actual political goals, which are to consolidate control over universities and to destroy scientific research.' University of California leaders are still figuring out their next move. The UC Board of Regents held an emergency meeting about the settlement yesterday and 'discussed a path forward' without taking any action. Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis' team said she was present for the meeting. Newsom's office confirmed he was not in attendance. IT'S TUESDAY AFTERNOON. This is California Playbook PM, a POLITICO newsletter that serves as an afternoon temperature check on California politics and a look at what our policy reporters are watching. Got tips or suggestions? Shoot an email to lholden@ WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY GOING DIRECT: OpenAI has appealed directly to Newsom in a letter obtained exclusively by California Decoded, suggesting California should consider AI companies that sign onto national and international AI agreements as compliant with state AI rules. The letter, dated Monday from OpenAI's Chief Global Affairs Officer Chris Lehane, comes as Sacramento continues to debate key AI legislation, including Wiener's SB 53, which would require AI companies divulge their safety testing protocols and would establish whistleblower protections for their workers. Lehane recommended 'that California take the lead in harmonizing state-based AI regulation with emerging global standards' when it comes to the technology, dubbing it the 'California Approach.' OpenAI and other developers have already signed onto, or plan to sign onto, the EU's AI code of practice and committed to conducting national security-related assessments of their programs, both voluntary commitments, Newsom spokesperson Tara Gallegos said: 'We have received the letter. We don't typically comment on pending legislation.' The letter offers Newsom something of an off-ramp this year, after he vetoed Wiener's broader SB 1047 AI safety bill last year that would have required programs to complete pre-release safety testing. — Chase DiFeliciantonio If you like this excerpt from POLITICO Pro Technology: California Decoded, you can request a demo here. IN OTHER NEWS MUSICAL CHAIRS: Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones today threw cold water on rumors he might take advantage of Democratic redistricting efforts to mount a congressional campaign — although he doesn't seem to fully rule it out, either. 'Despite unfounded rumors and political gossip, I am not considering a run for Congress because of redistricting,' Jones said in a statement to Playbook. 'I strongly oppose Gavin Newsom's redistricting scheme,' he added. 'Senate Republicans will fight this unfair political power grab that silences Californians and undermines our Constitution.' The San Diego-area Republican, whose final term ends next year, lives in an area with two deep-blue congressional districts that could become more purple as Democrats try to pick up five new seats. As we've reported, San Diego Reps. Scott Peters and Sara Jacobs are preparing to add Republicans as Democrats draw a new map in response to Texas GOP redistricting. TOUTING TELEWORK: A long-awaited state audit of Newsom's return-to-office mandate for state employees was critical of the governor's push to require in-person work. Newsom ordered state workers back to the office for two days per week in 2024 and four days earlier this year, although he postponed the more stringent directive before it took effect. The audit says reducing state office space in response to telework could save the state $225 million. It also said the governor's office 'did not gather some important information about departments' office space needs or the associated costs before directing state employees to work an increasing number of days per week in the office.' GOP Assemblymember Josh Hoover, who's been an advocate of telework, released a statement promoting the report. 'The findings of the audit make clear that providing telework options for state employees in the jobs where it makes sense has substantial benefits for workers, taxpayers, state agencies, commuters, and the environment,' he said. WHAT WE'RE READING TODAY — Black leaders say Trump's criticisms of Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and other cities smack of racism. (POLITICO) — Democratic members of Congress are accusing the Trump administration of cleaning up a basement ICE detention center in downtown Los Angeles ahead of their visit. (Los Angeles Times) AROUND THE STATE — The California High Speed Rail Authority wants lawmakers to help the agency resolve land-use conflicts that are slowing the expensive project. (Fresno Bee) — Advocates are urging officials to preserve video evidence of San Diego County jail deaths after surveillance footage from one incident was erased. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Fox News
an hour ago
- Fox News
French-drafted UNIFIL resolution could shield Hezbollah as US stays silent
FIRST ON FOX — The U.S. may allow a controversial draft United Nations Security Council resolution to pass that some critics say would help Hezbollah, the Iran-backed terror organization. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon's (UNIFIL) mandate is up for renewal at the end of August, and the French-authored text would buy the mission another year while also not giving a firm termination date, according to a draft obtained by Fox News Digital. However, it states that the ultimate goal is to have "the Lebanese government [be] the sole provider of security in southern Lebanon" as long as it "fully controls all Lebanese territory." While applauding the end of hostilities, it also takes aim at Israel for its moves against Hezbollah terrorists operating across its border, noting in the draft that it, "Welcomes the cessation of hostilities arrangement between Israel and Lebanon of 26 November 2024 (S/2024/870), as a critical step towards full implementation of Resolution 1701, while noting with grave concerns the continuous violations of this arrangement, notably air and drone strikes on Lebanese territory, and requests the parties to faithfully implement its provisions, with the support of the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon (UNSCOL) and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), in line with their respective mandates." The draft also urges Israel to withdraw from its five remaining positions inside Lebanon, which Israel maintains are meant to counter Hezbollah. Israel would also be encouraged to take part in "diplomatic efforts" to delineate a border between itself and Lebanon. If the resolution were to pass in its current form, Lebanon would be responsible for manning the posts with the help of UNIFIL. As part of its goal of clearing southern Lebanon of unauthorized armed personnel — primarily Hezbollah operatives — the resolution encourages the international community to back the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) so it can ensure the absence of armed factions between the Blue Line and the Litani River. Following the Second Lebanon War in 2006, the U.N. Security Council passed Resolution 1701, which outlined that UNIFIL and LAF would work to block Hezbollah's activity in southern Lebanon. However, this has not been the case and critics fear that French draft would only bolster a system that has already failed. A senior policy analyst for the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA) has voiced concern about renewing UNIFIL's mandate and called on the U.S. to veto it. "UNIFIL has proven, over the course of decades, its failure to achieve any semblance of its stated purpose. UNIFIL was created in 1978, during the chaotic Lebanese Civil War, to try to stabilize Lebanon and prevent broader spillover," Yoni Tobin pointed out in an op-ed originally published by the Algemeiner. He also noted that UNIFIL has not acted against Hezbollah's building up its arsenal despite being given the green light to do so. In the years since the resolution's passing, the terror organization has been active, with Israel uncovering networks of tunnels similar to those used by Hamas. Additionally, Hezbollah quickly joined in Hamas' war against Israel after the Oct. 7 massacre. "Among countless failures by the United Nations in the Middle East, UNIFIL may be the most spectacular. Tasked with ensuring that Hezbollah would not rearm after the 2006 war, it patiently watched as Hezbollah became the largest non-state terrorist and military organization in the world," the former U.S. Ambassador during the first Trump administration, David Friedman, told Fox News Digital in June. "Stability in Lebanon — within reach only now that Israel has decapitated Hezbollah's leadership — will not be achieved through UNIFIL." In October 2024, Fox News Digital reported that UNIFIL had failed to prevent Hezbollah's rapid rocket and weapons buildup since the mandate was implemented in 2006. Pro-Hezbollah officials and soldiers within Lebanon's Army also remain a core problem, according to experts and media reports. In late January, a LAF chief reportedly sent a classified document to Hezbollah. The LAF's Suhil Bahij Gharb, who oversees military intelligence for southern Lebanon, secured the confidential material from a military facility run by the U.S., France and UNIFIL. It remains unclear how the U.S. will vote on the resolution or whether it will seek revisions to the French-authored text. The U.S. mission declined to comment, while the U.N. missions of Israel and France did not respond to Fox News Digital requests.
Washington Post
2 hours ago
- Washington Post
Israel rejects UN allegations that its forces have sexually abused detained Palestinians
UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. chief warned Israel that the United Nations has 'credible information' of sexual violence and other violations by Israeli forces against detained Palestinians, which Israel's U.N. ambassador dismissed as 'baseless accusations.' Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a letter to Ambassador Danny Danon that he is 'gravely concerned' about reported violations against Palestinians by Israeli military and security forces in several prisons , a detention center and a military base.
