The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has accused George Washington University (GWU) of violating federal civil rights laws during last year’s pro-Palestinian student protests, escalating the Trump administration’s broader push to hold universities accountable for campus unrest.
In a letter to GWU President Ellen Granberg, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon alleged that the university had been “deliberately indifferent” to reported antisemitic discrimination and harassment that occurred during the demonstrations. Dhillon said the DOJ plans to move forward with enforcement measures unless the university takes “immediate remediation,” though she noted the matter could still be resolved through a “voluntary resolution agreement.”
The letter did not specify what enforcement might involve. However, similar findings at other institutions—such as Columbia, Brown, Harvard, Northwestern, and Cornell—have led to temporary freezes in federal funding, followed by negotiations to restore it. In one recent example, the DOJ announced comparable violations at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) on July 29. Less than a week later, the administration suspended over $500 million in federal grants to UCLA, prompting the school to enter talks with the White House that may result in fines and policy changes.
GWU, a private university located in Washington, D.C., was the site of a sustained pro-Palestinian encampment last spring. The protest lasted two weeks and, according to Dhillon, was aimed primarily at intimidating Jewish and Israeli students. Allegations cited in the DOJ’s findings include blocking building entrances and creating situations that endangered physical safety.
In a statement, GWU spokesperson Shannon McClendon confirmed the school had received the DOJ letter and is reviewing it.
“GW condemns antisemitism, which has absolutely no place on our campuses or in a civil and humane society,” McClendon said. “Our actions clearly demonstrate our commitment to addressing antisemitic conduct and fostering an inclusive campus environment.”
When the protests began in 2024, GWU leadership initially called on the D.C. police to dismantle the encampments, but city officials refused. On Monday, President Trump announced that he would take federal control of the D.C. police department and deploy 800 National Guard troops in the capital.
