Cornell University has reached a $60 million settlement with the Trump administration, paving the way for the restoration of $250 million in federal funding to the Ivy League institution.
The agreement brings an end to a months-long dispute that began when President Donald Trump targeted several elite universities—Cornell among them—accusing them of fostering liberal bias and tolerating antisemitism on campus.
As a result of the administration’s actions, Cornell said it faced stop-work orders, terminated grants, and frozen research contracts, collectively worth about $250 million. The dispute stemmed from civil rights investigations into whether the university failed to adequately protect Jewish and Israeli students during campus protests over Israel’s war in Gaza.
Under the new agreement, Cornell will contribute $60 million over three years—half to fund agricultural research supporting U.S. food security, and half as a direct payment to the federal government.
Importantly, the civil rights probe has been dropped, and Cornell emphasized that the settlement “does not constitute an admission of wrongdoing.”
University President Michael Kotlikoff praised the resolution, saying it “recognizes the government’s responsibility to uphold anti-discrimination laws while preserving Cornell’s academic freedom and institutional independence.”
Kotlikoff added that the agreement will allow Cornell to “refocus on our core mission of teaching and research in renewed partnership with federal agencies.”
While Trump initially pushed for greater federal oversight of university admissions and hiring, Cornell confirmed that the final deal upholds its ability to make those decisions based solely on merit.
