George Washington University becomes the latest target of the Trump administration
Campus protests
Federal agenciesFacebookTweetLink
Follow
The Trump administration said on Tuesday it found George Washington University had violated federal civil rights law regarding Jewish, American Israeli, and Israeli students and faculty and will seek 'immediate remediation' from the school.
In a statement, the U.S. Department of Justice said GWU had acted 'deliberately indifferent to the hostile educational environment for Jewish, American-Israeli, and Israeli students and faculty' during pro-Palestinian protests in April and May 2024. Representatives for the university based in Washington, D.C., could not be immediately reached for comment.
In a letter sent to university President Ellen Granberg on Tuesday, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said the Justice Department found members of the university community engaged in 'antisemitic, disruptive protests,' including by establishing an encampment at University Yard. Dhillon said these efforts were meant to 'frighten, intimidate, and deny' Jewish, Israeli, and American Israeli students access to the university environment.
'The Department finds that despite actual notice of the abuses occurring on its campus, GWU was deliberately indifferent to the complaints it received, the misconduct that occurred, and the harms that were suffered,' Dhillon's letter said.
Dhillon said the Justice Department intends to proceed with enforcement, but is offering the university the opportunity to resolve the matter through a voluntary resolution agreement. The university has until August 22 to indicate whether it has 'interest in such a dialog,' according to the letter.
George Washington is the latest university to be targeted by the Trump administration, which has threatened to cut federal funds for universities over pro-Palestinian protests against U.S. ally Israel's war in Gaza.
Protesters, including some Jewish groups, say the Trump administration wrongly equates their criticism of Israel's military assault in Gaza and its occupation of Palestinian territories with antisemitism, and advocacy for Palestinian rights with support for extremism.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
9 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Lebanon's Aoun tells top Iranian official: only state holds arms, no outside interference
BEIRUT (Reuters) -No group in Lebanon is permitted to bear arms or rely on foreign backing, President Joseph Aoun told a senior Iranian official on Wednesday, days after the cabinet approved the objectives of a U.S.-backed roadmap to disarm the Iran-aligned Hezbollah group. During a meeting in Beirut with Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's top security body, Aoun warned against foreign interference in Lebanon's internal affairs, saying the country was open to cooperation with Iran but only within the bounds of national sovereignty and mutual respect. "The friendship we seek with Iran must be with all Lebanese, not through one sect or component alone," Aoun said, according to a statement from his office. He added that recent language used by some Iranian officials had not been helpful, and reaffirmed that the Lebanese state and its armed forces were solely responsible for safeguarding all citizens. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
9 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Thyssenkrupp Nucera abandons US green hydrogen projects no longer deemed feasible -CEO
By Marleen Kaesebier and Christoph Steitz (Reuters) -Thyssenkrupp Nucera is in intensive discussions with stakeholders in its U.S. projects and is abandoning those no longer deemed feasible due to tax and spending changes initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump, its CEO said on Wednesday. Global demand for green hydrogen had stalled amid concern among clean-tech players over what Trump's policies would mean for the industry. But Thyssenkrupp Nucera's chief executive Werner Ponikwar said the company had more clarity around the financial viability of U.S. projects after the enactment of U.S. legislation that eliminated some tax credits for low-carbon energy sources. "We have sorted out all projects that have less chance of being realized due to the new framework conditions in the U.S.," Ponikwar said in a call with journalists after the company reported results. Trump's sweeping spending and tax legislation has made it harder to develop green tech projects in the U.S. by effectively phasing out renewable energy tax credits after 2026 if projects have not started construction. Ponikwar said that with projects still expected to receive funding if they start construction work before a revised end of 2027 deadline, Thyssenkrupp Nucera will be able to advance state-side projects, especially those in advanced stages. "We are convinced that the hydrogen electrolysis market continues to offer enormous potential," Ponikwar said, while adding that the company needs to be more patient than initially hoped. If U.S. projects do not come to fruition, Thyssenkrupp Nucera will utilize its U.S. resources "for other purposes", Ponikwar said, echoing his sentiments from December. Sign in to access your portfolio
CBS News
9 minutes ago
- CBS News
GE Appliances moving more output from China and some from Mexico to U.S. as part of $3 billion investment
Louisville, Ky. — GE Appliances plans to shift production of refrigerators, gas ranges and water heaters out of China and Mexico as part of a more than $3 billion investment to expand its U.S. operations in Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and South Carolina. The investment - the second-largest in the Louisville-based company's history - is expected to add more than 1,000 jobs while ramping up domestic production and modernizing plants in the next five years. "Our long-term strategy is about manufacturing close to our customers," said CEO Kevin Nolan. "With lean manufacturing, upskilling our workforce and automation, the math works for manufacturing in the United States." The majority of GE's appliance production is already in the U.S. and the shift means only that the company will transfer more work to its domestic plants. GE will relocate production of gas ranges from Mexico to a plant in Georgia, while six refrigerator models now made in China will be manufactured at its Alabama plant, the company said. In June, the company said it would move production of clothes washers from China to its sprawling manufacturing complex in Louisville. The reshoring announcements come as President Trump tries to lure factories back to the United States by imposing import taxes - tariffs - on foreign goods. Lee Lagomarcino, GE Appliances' vice president of clothes care, told CBS MoneyWatch at the time that high levies on imports from China under Mr. Trump have compelled it to "accelerate the decision-making." GE Appliances said Wednesday that the first phase of its new investment will begin at plants in five Southern states - Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and South Carolina. "We are defining the future of manufacturing at GE Appliances by investing in our plants, people and communities," Nolan said. "No other appliance company over the last decade has invested more in U.S. manufacturing than we have, and our $3 billion, five-year plan shows that our commitment to U.S. manufacturing will continue into the future." The multiyear plan includes ramping up production of gas ranges that have been made in Mexico but will shift to the company's plant in LaFayette, Georgia, the company said. Production of six refrigerators now made in China will move to its plant in Decatur, Alabama. GE's plant in Camden, South Carolina, will add production of electric and hybrid heat pump water heaters, doubling the factory's output and employment once the project is complete, the company said. The plant now produces gas water heaters. Production of the company's electric and hybrid water heaters - now made in China - will shift to South Carolina. In Selmer, Tennessee, its plant will produce two new models of air conditioners. The latest investment includes the June announcement that GE Appliances will pump $490 million into its Kentucky complex to produce a combo washer/dryer and a lineup of front load washers that are now made in China. In all, production of more than 15 models of front load washers will shift to the company's Louisville complex - known as Appliance Park, it said. Once its new plan is fully implemented, GE Appliances will have invested $6.5 billion across its 11 U.S. manufacturing plants and nationwide distribution network since 2016, it said. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said Wednesday that the investment shows his state's ability to support world-class companies with a skilled workforce and the resources needed to thrive. "GE Appliances has established Kentucky as America's destination for advanced manufacturing and job creation, and today's news shows this iconic company's unwavering belief in the commonwealth and the role we play in their success," Beshear said. GE Appliances handles product design and engineering work at its Louisville headquarters but doesn't make all of its products in the U.S. It contracts with other manufacturers, including in China, for some of its production where it doesn't have capacity or needs access to a global supply chain. The company said its core business strategy is to base production in the United States, and investments announced in June and on Wednesday are another step toward achieving that goal. The company said it's partnering with universities, technical schools and high schools to help ensure that its plants and other facilities have a trained workforce. "Infrastructure and tools matter, but they are not enough," said Bill Good, vice president of supply chain for GE Appliances. "America's manufacturing renaissance will be built by people." GE Appliances is a subsidiary of the China-based Haier company. Overall, GE Appliances says it contributes more than $30 billion annually to the U.S. economy and supports more than 113,000 jobs - both directly and indirectly - through its operations, suppliers and distribution network.
