President Donald J. Trump
The White House
Fact Sheets

Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Secures Major Settlement with Cornell University

The White House

SECURING A HISTORIC SETTLEMENT WITH CORNELL UNIVERSITY: Today, President Donald J. Trump secured a historic settlement with Cornell University to restore accountability and fairness in higher education.

  • The agreement ensures Cornell will comply with Federal civil rights laws and end any unlawful racial discrimination in admissions or university programming. Cornell will provide the Federal government access to all relevant data and information to rigorously assess compliance with its commitment to merit-based admissions.
  • Cornell will pay a $30 million penalty to the United States, payable in equal installments over three years.
  • Cornell will also invest $30 million in research programs that directly benefit U.S. farmers, payable in equal installments over three years.
  • Cornell will conduct annual campus climate surveys to ensure that Jewish students are safe and that anti-Semitism is being addressed.
  • The agreement reinstates all Federal grants to Cornell, restores Cornell’s eligibility for future grants and awards, and closes pending Title VI and Title IX investigations into the university.
    • Title VII investigations related to allegations of discrimination in Cornell’s employment practices remain ongoing and are not addressed under this agreement.
  • Cornell’s president must certify quarterly, under penalty of perjury, that Cornell is in full compliance with all provisions of this agreement, including compliance with Title VI, Title IX, and other civil rights laws. Cornell agrees to use the Department of Justice’s July 2025 “Guidance for Recipients of Federal Funding Regarding Unlawful Discrimination” as a training resource for faculty and staff.

ADDRESSING DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES AT CORNELL: The Trump Administration took action to address concerns about violations of Federal civil rights laws, protecting students and upholding fairness in higher education.

  • The settlement comes after public outcry over incidents at Cornell and civil rights investigations into Cornell’s alleged discrimination on the basis of race and national origin.
  • Cornell’s policies and practices—including alleged use of DEI rubrics in faculty hiring, racial identity-based scholarships, and alleged anti-Semitic discrimination in campus programs and policies—raised urgent concerns about equal opportunity and potential noncompliance with Federal law.
  • By securing this settlement, the Trump Administration is ensuring that Cornell upholds merit-based standards, complies with Federal law, and fosters an environment of academic excellence and safety for all students.

ADVANCING REFORMS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: President Trump is holding elite universities accountable, ensuring they prioritize fairness, merit, and American values.  

  • The Administration has challenged elite universities like Harvard, Columbia, Brown, and Cornell for discriminating against students and staff, failing to protect students from violent anti-Semitism, and otherwise failing to be a responsible steward of taxpayer dollars.
  • The Administration successfully negotiated a resolution with the University of Pennsylvania to keep men out of women’s sports and restore the trophies and records of women.
  • President Trump secured a more than $200 million settlement with Columbia University and a $50 million settlement with Brown University to resolve claims related to discriminatory practices, marking significant wins for accountability in academia.