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New York Post
16-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Georgetown professor removed as department chair after publicly hoping for symbolic Iranian strike on US
A professor at Georgetown University has been removed as chair of his department and is on leave after he publicly hoped Iran would launch a 'symbolic strike' on a U.S. military base, the university's president said. 'I'm not an expert, but I assume Iran could still get a bomb easily. I hope Iran does some symbolic strike on a base, then everyone stops. I'm surprised this is what these FDD/Hasbara people have been auto-erotically asphyxiating themselves for all these years,' Dr. Jonathan Brown, the Alwaleed bin Talal chair of Islamic Civilization in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, posted on X in June after the U.S. struck Iran's nuclear enrichment sites. He added, 'Ironically, the main takeaways (in my non-expert opinion, and I'm happy to be corrected) from all this have nothing to do with a US attack: 1) Iran can take a licking; 2) if Israel attacks Iranian cities, it gets f—ed up pretty bad. I mean I've been shocked at the damage Iranian missiles caused; 3) despite his best efforts, Reza Pahlavi HVAC repair services still only third best in Nova.' Dr. Jonathan Brown, a professor at Georgetown University, has been removed as chair of his department for posting a tweet acknowledging that he hoped Iran would launch a 'symbolic strike' on a U.S. military base. Georgetown University Georgetown University Interim President Robert M. Groves testified to the House Education and Workforce Committee that Brown had been removed as chair of the department and placed on leave following the tweet. He said the university was currently reviewing Brown's case. 'Within minutes of our learning of that tweet, the Dean contacted Professor Brown, we issued a statement condemning the tweet. Professor Brown is no longer chair of his department, he's on leave, and we're beginning the process of reviewing the case,' Groves testified. The hearing, titled 'Antisemitism in Higher Education: Examining the Role of Faculty, Funding, and Ideology,' saw testimony from Georgetown President Groves, CUNY Chancellor Dr. Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, Berkeley Chancellor Dr. Rich Lyons and others. The hearing comes as colleges across the country have been plagued with antisemitism in the wake of Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks. Brown's comments elicited fierce pushback online, with many outraged over his perceived call for violence against U.S. forces. 'I went to graduate school with Jonathan Brown,' Jewish People Policy Institute fellow Dr. Sara Yael Hirschhorn posted on X. Georgetown University Interim President Robert M. Groves said Brown has been removed from being chair of the Alwaleed bin Talal Islamic Civilization in the School of Foreign Service while also being placed on leave. Nate Hovee – 'I'm appalled to see him calling for Iran to attack U.S. troops and his awe at attacks on Israeli civilians. @Georgetown- enough!' Brown previously told Fox News Digital that he had been calling for 'de-escalation' with Iran, and that his post had been misinterpreted. He said he was hoping for an Iranian response akin to their attack after the U.S. took out Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, in which the Islamic Republic launched ballistic missiles at a U.S. base in Iraq but caused no casualties. 'I was calling for de-escalation as I am very opposed to American involvement in foreign wars,' he said. When asked for comment, Georgetown University referred Fox News Digital to President Grove's testimony. Fox News Digital's Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Judge orders release of Georgetown scholar Trump admin is seeking to deport
ALEXANDRIA, Virginia — A federal judge has ordered the release of a Georgetown scholar the Trump administration put into immigration detention in March as part of a crackdown on pro-Palestinian activists. U.S. District Judge Patricia Giles said the government offered no evidence that Indian-born Badar Khan Suri posed a danger to the community. She also said his arrest likely violated his free-speech rights as well as his rights to freedom of association with his Palestinian-American wife. 'The First Amendment extends to non-citizens and doesn't distinguish between citizens and non-citizens,' Giles said during a hearing in her Alexandria courtroom. In March, masked ICE agents surrounded and detained Khan Suri in Arlington, Virginia, amid a broader crackdown on foreign academics viewed by the Trump administration as espousing anti-Israel or pro-Palestine views. He is a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown's School of Foreign Service and was teaching a class on 'Majoritarianism and Minority Rights in South Asia.' Though Khan Suri's attorney quickly sued to keep him in Virginia and to seek his release from custody, federal agents transferred him within hours to Louisiana and then Texas. Giles' ruling is the third federal court decision in recent days to order the release of scholars targeted in the Trump administration's unprecedented deportation effort. Federal judges in Vermont also ordered the release of Tufts student Rumeysa Ozturk and Columbia student Mohsen Mahdawi. All three had their visas revoked by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who determined that their presence in the country was contrary to U.S. foreign policy interests.
Zawya
21-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Georgetown University brings world-class Master's in International Business and Policy to Dubai
Dubai, UAE: Georgetown's McDonough School of Business has announced the launch of a new Master's in International Business and Policy (IBP) degree that will begin in September 2025. Developed by leading faculty from its top-ranked McDonough School of Business and School of Foreign Service. The Dubai-based program is adapted from the university's signature IBP program that has been operating for nearly a decade. The program bridges the realms of business and international affairs, emphasizing sustainable growth, innovation, and social impact. It teaches participants how business influences policy, how policy shapes business, and how to strategically engage the global economy, catering to both public and private sector professionals. IBP Dubai will become Georgetown's second program in the region, building on the success of the Executive MBA currently offered at the DIFC Academy. This launch underscores Georgetown's growing presence in MENASA, a region pivotal to global trade, energy, and international diplomacy. Graduates of the IBP program will earn diplomas from both the McDonough School of Business, ranked #2 for international business by U.S. News & World Report, and the School of Foreign Service, ranked #1 in the world by Foreign Policy magazine. Participants will also gain access to career services from both schools, including 1:1 coaching, in-class sessions, assessments, and special networking events. They will join a prestigious alumni network of over 220,000 individuals globally, including leaders in government, business, and nonprofits. 'Businesses don't operate in isolation. They interact dynamically with policy, international relations, politics, and other fields to shape the economic and social future of countries and individuals. This is why Georgetown's Master's in International Business and Policy combines ideas, tools, and expertise in business and international affairs to prepare graduates to lead organizations in a complex and evolving world,' said Paul Almeida, dean and William R. Berkley Chair, Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business. Courses will be delivered by Georgetown University faculty from its U.S. and Qatar campuses, leveraging the institution's deep global and regional expertise. The program's modular structure allows participants to integrate their learning with their professional roles, offering flexibility and immediate impact. The 10-month program features seven in-person modules, each lasting six days, alongside one online course. Five modules are hosted in Dubai at the DIFC Academy, while two international immersion modules take place in Jakarta, Indonesia, and at Georgetown's Washington, D.C. campus. The program culminates in a Social Action Project, where students design and implement an initiative that drives meaningful social change that benefits or inspires social change in their community or anywhere in the world. "The Master's in International Business and Policy was created to combine the substantial expertise of the McDonough School of Business and the School of Foreign Service. Bringing the program to this dynamic region in the Global South positions us to lead in understanding the drivers of change in the global order and developing ideas that will reshape the world," said Joel Hellman, dean of School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University. Applications are now open for the inaugural cohort in Dubai. Georgetown seeks candidates with a bachelor's degree and at least two years of work experience. A background in business or policy is not required. For more information, visit
NBC News
05-04-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
Amid ICE detention, Georgetown professor worried most for his class, colleagues and students say
Badar Khan Suri, a Georgetown University professor and postdoctoral scholar who was arrested and targeted for deportation by the Trump administration last month, was most concerned for his students after he was detained, according to members of the Georgetown community. Suri, who was born in India and in the U.S. on a student visa, had been teaching a course on minority rights in South Asia at the university's School of Foreign Service (SFS). A student and faculty members told NBC News that amid the shock of his arrest, Suri still kept his class at the forefront of his mind. One of his students, Roudah, who requested to be identified by her first name out of fear of retaliation, said she spoke to his family not long after he was detained. 'As he was being arrested by these masked men in normal clothing who just pulled up in front of their apartment building, he told her, 'Take care of my students. Make sure that they have someone to teach the class,'' Roudah said of his final conversation with his wife before he was taken away. 'He wasn't worried about what's going to happen to him and his reputation. He was worried about his students.'Suri, whose attorneys filed a petition challenging his detainment, is currently being held in Texas at an ICE detention center. He was sent there after first being detained at a Virginia facility and then transferred to Louisiana due to a lack of space, according to court documents. The government this week filed a motion to dismiss or move his case to another jurisdiction. Attorneys for Suri have asked the court to return him to Virginia and release him pending the proceedings. Suri, who has been a postdoc at Georgetown for the past three years, was accused by the Department of Homeland Security of 'actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media.' ICE did not immediately return NBC News' request for comment. But assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin addressed Suri's detention on X, saying that 'Suri has close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior advisor to Hamas.' Suri's wife, an American citizen who is originally from Gaza, is also a student at the university. Her father, Ahmed Yousef, is a former adviser to now-deceased Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. In an interview with The New York Times, Yousef said he left his position more than a decade ago. He has also been outspoken in his criticism of Hamas. Suri's attorney Hassan Ahmad previously told NBC News that he has never made any pro-Hamas or antisemitic comments, calling his detention 'contemptible.' Joel Hellman, dean of the School of Foreign Service, said in a statement last month that the school did not observe any threatening behavior. 'During his time on campus, I am not aware that Dr. Suri has engaged in any illegal activity, nor has he posed a threat to the security of our campus,' Hellman said. 'He has been focused on completing his research.' Roudah said Suri's arrest has prompted a great deal of anxiety for the students in his tight-knit seminar of five. While another professor has helped pick up the course, she said it's difficult to replace Suri and the connection he had with his students. Roudah said she and her classmates often looked forward to his weekly lectures that he'd deliver over two and a half hours without reading from notes. 'He's one of the most academically smartest people I've ever met in my whole entire life,' Roudah said. 'This class doesn't count for any of my graduation requirements, and I fully took it just because of Dr. Badar.' Roudah added that Suri encouraged students to ask questions. And though the students would often skip the class readings, Roudah said Suri wouldn't put too much pressure on them to speak up, as he 'wouldn't want to embarrass us.' 'He's 1,000% very laid-back. He's very chill,' Roudah said. 'He's slowly but surely made his way into everyone's hearts.' The first conversation that Suri had with his wife while in ICE detention also revolved around his students, worried about whether they'd be able to continue their studies, Dr. Fida Adely, a colleague of Suri's, said. 'That was definitely one of his first concerns that he conveyed to her,' said Adely, who serves as the university's director of the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies. ''Do they know what's going on?'' Adely described Suri as a quiet person who was dedicated to becoming a successful scholar. At one point, Suri sought advice from her about getting his research published, she said. Outside the classroom, Adely said, he often attended Muslim events on campus with his wife and three children, mingling with community members. 'We often have visiting scholars who are here just because they want to be affiliated with Georgetown, but aren't necessarily very active community members,' Adely said. 'He was a very active member in many ways, participating in our seminars, coming to our social events. Suri's supervisor, Nader Hashemi, similarly said that his students were a priority for him. 'He focused all of his time on his research and his teaching,' said Hashemi, director of the school's Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding. The arrest came as a surprise, Hashemi said, as Suri was not particularly outspoken. 'He was not a public intellectual. He was just a humble young academic scholar,' said Hashemi, who was among the first people contacted by the family during the ordeal. 'The shock and the trauma of this entire arrest … is just a reflection of the brutal authoritarianism of this Trump administration that is trying to inflict terror and trauma on society.' As Suri and his family continue to push for his release, Roudah said she hopes people will understand one critical thing about her professor. 'I want people to humanize this case,' Roudah said. 'These people have families. These people have lives. These people have people that care about them.'
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Farmers Fear More Pain From Trump's Trade War
It's been a difficult three years for American farmers. Costs of everything from gasoline to feed to equipment have risen, while most crop prices have fallen. Now many farmers say they worry President Donald Trump's incipient trade war will make things even tougher. 'He's out there with his wrecking ball just throwing tariffs around,' says Barb Kalbach, a fourth-generation corn and soybean farmer in Dexter, Iowa. Trump's 25% tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico went into effect Tuesday, and the President doubled the levy on products from China to 20%. China retaliated with taxes of up to 15% on U.S. farm imports, while both Canada and Mexico announced retaliatory tariffs of their own. Canada's 25% tariffs on $30 billion of U.S. products affect poultry, meat, dairy, wheat, and other food products. Farmers know from experience that these retaliatory tariffs are going to hurt them. When Trump launched a trade war against China in 2018, Beijing responded with tariffs aimed at the U.S. farm industry. Exports fell as Chinese buyers looked to places like Brazil for soybeans, reducing the market share of American farmers. Farmers were hit so hard that the Trump Administration ended up spending $23 billion to make them whole. Read More: Here's Where China's Retaliatory Tariffs Could Hit Hardest. 'Agriculture took the brunt of retaliatory tariffs by China last time, and certainly agriculture is going to be the main target of today's retaliatory strikes,' says Marc Busch, a professor at Georgetown's School of Foreign Service who studies trade. This time, it's not just China retaliating, but also Mexico and Canada, two of America's top trade partners. 'The expectation among ag stakeholders is that it will only be worse this time,' Busch says. Kalbach, the Iowa farmer, fears the newest tariffs will only make it harder to export her products. 'This is just going to take parts of our markets away,' she says. In the last trade war, around 80% of the money the U.S. government took in from tariffs on Chinese imports went back to paying farmers who were hurt by retaliatory tariffs, Busch says. Such payments keep farms afloat, but what will really boost the agriculture industry is to find new markets, says Clark Packard, a research fellow at the Cato Institute. 'It's a question of whether we want welfare payments or whether we want to actually make sales,' Packard says. 'We are getting back into this business of doling out more and more payments to the agricultural industry.' Read More: How Trump's Tariffs Could Affect U.S. Consumers. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, U.S. farmers have lost money on 'almost every major crop planted' in the last three years. 'Adding even more costs and reducing markets for American agricultural goods,' federation president Zippy Duvall said in a statement, 'could create an economic burden some farmers may not be able to bear.' Trump addressed such concerns in a post on Truth Social, encouraging farmers to sell more products within the U.S. 'To the Great Farmers of the United States: Get ready to start making a lot of agricultural product to be sold inside the United States. Tariffs will go on external product on April 2nd. Have fun!' he wrote Tuesday. But farmers say that limiting sales to domestic markets would hinder their businesses and lower prices. The U.S. exported $83 billion in agricultural products to Canada, China, and Mexico last year, according to the farm bureau. 'We're really good at raising healthy, safe, and cost-effective food to the point that we produce way more than this country needs,' says Chad Franke, the president of Rocky Mountain Farmers' Union, which represents 14,000 farmers across Colorado, Wyoming, and Mexico. 'To say that we're just going to sell it domestically is like saying you should put 20 gallons of gas in your 15 gallon gas tank.' Take the dairy industry. About 20% of U.S. milk production is exported annually, with about 40% of that going to Canada, Mexico, and China, according to Chuck Nicholson, an associate professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. If the domestic dairy industry gets only a little more milk than traders were expecting, prices drop as a result, Nicholson says. So if the dairy industry started trying to sell that 20% domestically instead of exporting it, prices would plummet, making it difficult for farmers to continue to operate. Already, Trump Administration policies are giving dairy farmers a headache, Nicholson adds, from immigration crackdowns to potential cuts to government programs such as food stamps, which contribute to demand for domestic dairy products. Farmers are uncertain about what markets will still want farmers' products, whether the federal staffers they work with on a daily basis will still be there the next day, how much farm equipment and gas are going to cost, and how much they'll be able to sell their crops for. 'Farmers and ranchers already have enough uncertainty in their daily lives,' says Franke, Rocky Mountain Farmers' Union president. 'They don't need any more.' Contact us at letters@
