Calls Investigation Into Campus Antisemitism a “Frontal Assault on Higher Education”
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) on Tuesday strongly condemned the Trump Administration’s investigation and potential defunding of University of California campuses, including UC Berkeley, UCLA, and Sacramento State, calling it a political attack on higher education rather than a genuine effort to address antisemitism.
His remarks come in response to the Administration’s recent decision to withhold $400 million in federal funding from Columbia University as well as reports that a number of UC Campuses are under investigation for alleged anti-Semitic attacks on students.
“We need to be very clear-eyed in assessing this federal investigation: The Trump Administration does not care about Jewish students or faculty,” said Wiener in a sharply worded statement.
This week, the Trump Administration announced that multiple universities, including UC Berkeley, UCLA, and Sacramento State, were under investigation for alleged failures to protect Jewish students. The administration cited rising incidents of antisemitism on college campuses as the rationale for the crackdown.
However, Senator Wiener argues that these actions are politically motivated, designed to weaken academic institutions rather than combat antisemitism.
“This is not about protecting Jewish students,” Wiener said. “This is about Trump’s broader assault on American universities and their independence.”
He warned that the investigations are a pretext for stripping funding from universities that do not align with the Administration’s ideological agenda, much like previous attacks on corporations such as Disney, Meta, Amazon, and Google.
While Wiener acknowledged that antisemitic incidents have occurred on some campuses, he emphasized that university administrators have actively worked to address them—including in collaboration with the Jewish Legislative Caucus and Jewish community organizations.
“There has been utterly despicable targeting, harassment, intimidation, and even violence against Jewish students and faculty,” he said. “But the UC and CSU systems have taken these issues seriously and have worked to improve conditions.”
Instead of genuine concern for Jewish students, Wiener accused the Trump Administration of weaponizing the issue as part of a broader campaign against academic freedom, diversity initiatives, and scientific research.
Senator Wiener did not hold back in his assessment of the Trump Administration’s record on antisemitism, calling it “the most antisemitic Administration in modern U.S. history.”
He cited several recent incidents to support his claim:
📌 Elon Musk’s Nazi salute at Trump’s inauguration
📌 Vice President J.D. Vance and Musk backing a far-right party in Germany with neo-Nazi ties
📌 Trump’s use of antisemitic tropes, such as blaming “globalists” for stock market declines
📌 A Trump social media post featuring a Nazi-era image targeting LGBTQ+ individuals
According to Wiener, the administration’s own track record undermines any credibility in its efforts to address antisemitism on college campuses.
“If Trump actually cared about fighting antisemitism, he would start with his own White House,” Wiener said.
Beyond the antisemitism investigations, Wiener believes the real goal of Trump’s actions is to exert political control over universities.
“This fight is about whether we will continue to have an American university system that is independent of the government,” he warned. “It’s about whether our universities will remain places of critical thinking, creativity, scientific research, and societal change.”
Wiener accused the Administration of intentionally dismantling science funding, suppressing student activism, and using immigration policies to target students who express dissenting views.
Trump’s recent crackdown on lawful permanent resident students who voice opposition to his administration has alarmed many civil rights groups.
Cuts to federal research funding could severely impact UC and CSU institutions, jeopardizing medical and technological advancements.
These actions, Wiener argued, pose a direct threat to California’s leadership in innovation and higher education.
“By targeting federal research funding, Trump is not just harming universities—he’s undermining California’s economy and America’s standing as a global leader in scientific progress.”
The Trump Administration’s investigation remains ongoing, and it is unclear whether UC Berkeley, UCLA, or Sacramento State will face the same financial penalties as Columbia University.
If funding is revoked, the impact could be devastating, affecting:
🔹 Federal financial aid programs for students
🔹 Research grants that drive medical and technological breakthroughs
🔹 Resources for faculty and campus infrastructure
Wiener urged state leaders, university officials, and the public to resist these attacks on academic freedom.
“We must stand with our universities,” he declared. “This is about more than one policy fight—this is about the future of American higher education.”
“Senator Wiener argues that these actions are politically motivated”.
Sure glad his statements are not 😐
“He cited several recent incidents to support his claim: 📌 Elon Musk’s Nazi salute at Trump’s inauguration”
Anyone who believes that one, I have some beachfront property and a great candidate named Harris for you to run for President.
Too bad — I believe that Wiener’s condemnation of antisemitism on CA campuses was the only thing I ever heard him say that made any sense.