Trump means business.
President Donald Trump made a bold statement on Monday regarding the recent arrest of a Columbia University student, Mahmoud Khalil, who had been a leading figure in pro-Palestinian protests last year. The protests were sparked by Israel’s conflict with Gaza. Trump called this arrest the beginning of a broader effort to root out anti-American and pro-terrorist activities from U.S. college campuses, declaring that more arrests would follow.
On his Truth Social account, the former president praised the arrest, which was carried out by immigration authorities. Khalil, a green card holder, had been involved in organizing demonstrations that many viewed as anti-Israel and fueled by antisemitic sentiment. Trump accused those behind such protests of engaging in “anti-Semitic, anti-American” behavior, warning that his administration would take a firm stance against such actions. He specifically emphasized that many of the people involved in these protests were not students at all but “paid agitators” working to stir up trouble.
Trump vowed to find and deport anyone who supports terrorism, noting that such individuals, especially those sympathetic to groups like Hamas, had no place in America. He went on to insist that U.S. colleges and universities must comply with these principles, putting pressure on academic institutions to distance themselves from extremist movements.
This action comes on the heels of Trump’s executive order in January aimed at combating antisemitism on college campuses. The order seeks to direct federal resources toward identifying and addressing antisemitic incidents, with a particular focus on individuals with ties to Hamas and other terrorist organizations.
The protests that took place last year following the Hamas attacks on Israel sparked widespread unrest across campuses, leading to over 2,000 arrests nationwide. Trump’s administration is now focusing on ensuring that any sympathizers of terrorism are swiftly identified and removed, reinforcing America’s commitment to protecting its values and standing firm against radical ideology.