California Governor Gavin Newsom Slams Trump’s $1 Billion Settlement Demand as Political Extortion

Kokcha News Agency: California Governor Gavin Newsom has strongly criticized former President Donald Trump’s $1 billion settlement demand for the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), calling it a form of political extortion. The demand comes after the federal government blocked hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to UCLA, citing the university’s handling of pro-Palestinian protests.

According to Reuters, UCLA officials confirmed this week that the government had withheld $584 million in funding from the university. The Trump administration has reportedly used the Department of Justice to pressure the university system, blocking scientific and medical funding until UCLA pays the $1 billion settlement.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Newsom’s office stated, “Donald Trump has weaponized the Department of Justice to kneecap the university system in America, blocking scientific and medical funding until UCLA pays a $1 billion ransom.” The governor added, “But California will never surrender to Trump’s vile political extortion. This isn’t about supporting Jewish students. This is a political shakedown from a president who plays for pay.”

The controversy stems from large-scale protests at UCLA last year, where pro-Palestinian demonstrators clashed with pro-Israeli groups. In the aftermath, UCLA agreed to pay $6 million to settle a lawsuit accusing some students and a professor of anti-Semitism. Another lawsuit was filed this year following a violent attack on pro-Palestinian protesters on campus.

In recent weeks, staff and workers at the University of California have gone on strike in solidarity with pro-Palestinian protesters, accusing university officials of unfair treatment of demonstrators. The protests, which began in response to the deadly war between Hamas and Israel in October 2023, have led to tensions on campuses across the country.

Trump has also targeted other universities, including Harvard and Columbia, cutting federal funding under the pretext of combating anti-Semitism on campus. Columbia University recently agreed to pay over $220 million to settle claims of anti-Semitism, while Brown University settled a similar case for $50 million. Harvard is reportedly prepared to pay up to $500 million to resolve similar allegations.

Critics, including civil rights experts, faculty members, and White House opponents, argue that Trump’s targeting of universities is an excuse to exert federal control and threaten academic freedom and free speech.

Meanwhile, a recent poll in the United States revealed that a majority of American university students support Gaza and Hamas. According to the New York Post, 65% of students support pro-Palestinian protests, with 43% participating in them. Additionally, 63% of students expressed solidarity with Hamas, and 15% of protesters believe that “Israel should not exist.”