The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) has strongly criticized a Truth Social post from Donald Trump on Tuesday, in which he threatened to revoke federal funding from colleges and universities that allow “illegal protests.”
In their response to the post, FIRE emphasized that while institutions can take action against unlawful conduct, the president does not have unilateral authority to withdraw federal funds. “If a college runs afoul of anti-discrimination laws like Title VI or Title IX, the government may ultimately deny the institution federal funding by taking it to federal court, or via notice to Congress and an administrative hearing. It is not simply a discretionary decision that the president can make,” the organization stated.
FIRE further noted that the president lacks the authority to expel individual students, who are entitled to due process at public colleges and, in most cases, at private institutions as well. The organization warned that the statement from the president could have a chilling effect on student protests related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. FIRE pointed to the same administration’s 2019 executive order adopting a broad definition of anti-Semitism, which the organization has called unconstitutional, as well as the more recent January order threatening to deport international students for engaging in protected speech. These actions, FIRE argued, could lead students to fear punishment for legally protected political expression.
FIRE reaffirmed that even highly controversial political speech is safeguarded by the First Amendment. Citing a ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States, the organization emphasized, “As a Nation we have chosen a different course—to protect even hurtful speech on public issues to ensure that we do not stifle public debate.”
FIRE concluded its statement by urging the president to uphold his previous commitments to free expression, stating that doing so must include protecting speech across the political spectrum—even viewpoints his administration may oppose.
