California Governor Gavin Newsom has sharply criticized some of America’s most prestigious universities, accusing them of “selling their souls” to the Trump administration. His remarks came after reports that schools such as Harvard, Columbia, Brown, and the University of Pennsylvania agreed to multimillion-dollar settlements in order to restore frozen or suspended federal funding.
Newsom targets elite universities over settlements
The Trump administration had taken action against several universities, either cutting or halting research grants. Officials justified this by pointing to alleged failures in addressing antisemitism on campuses or by accusing schools of promoting what they called “woke” policies. In order to resolve disputes and continue receiving billions in federal funds, some universities chose to pay large sums through settlements.
Newsom, however, drew a clear line between those institutions and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He said UCLA would not follow the same path under his leadership. “UCLA is not going to sell their soul like Harvard or Brown or Penn or Columbia,” Newsom declared during an appearance on the political podcast Pod Save America. “Shame on all of them. We’re not. And we’re going to fight like hell to protect our democracy, our liberties, our freedoms.”
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Settlements by Harvard and fellow universities trigger outrage
One of Newsom’s strongest criticisms was directed at Harvard University. Reports suggest Harvard is close to finalizing a $500 million settlement to regain access to more than $2.6 billion in federal funding. The sheer size of the deal has fueled debates about how far institutions are willing to go to restore government support.
Newsom did not hold back. “Let me make this crystal clear to everyone watching and make it crystal clear to the folks at Harvard,” he said. “We will never ever sell our soul to Donald Trump. Harvard, I pray you are listening. How could you? Of all institutions, on tens of billions of dollars, what’s the point of your damn endowment if you cannot stand on principle?”
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He argued that universities with such massive financial endowments should not need to depend on federal money at the cost of compromising values. His comments echoed his broader message that public institutions in California would not bow to political pressure.
Earlier in the month, while speaking in San Francisco, Newsom repeated the same warning. He stressed that UCLA, one of the largest public universities in the country, would not pay a settlement while he is governor. “We’re not Brown, we’re not Columbia, and I’m not going to be governor if we act like that,” he said. “Period. Full stop, I will fight like hell to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
UCLA faces $1 billion demand from Trump administration
Despite Newsom’s firm stance, UCLA is facing a significant legal and financial challenge. According to reports, the Trump administration is demanding a $1 billion settlement from the university. In addition, the government is pushing for the creation of a $172 million claims fund for alleged Title VII violations under the Civil Rights Act.
These claims stem from accusations tied to workplace and campus discrimination. Title VII is a federal law that prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The Trump administration has argued that UCLA and other universities failed to comply with these standards.
Universities agreeing to settlements have largely done so to prevent further investigations and to regain access to critical federal research funds. But for Newsom, agreeing to pay such large amounts is a matter of principle. He continues to position UCLA differently, insisting it will resist what he views as political interference in education and research.
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Meanwhile, institutions like Harvard, Brown, Columbia, and Penn are working through the fallout of their decisions to settle. The controversy has placed higher education at the center of a heated debate about federal funding, political influence, and the balance between money and principles.
Newsom’s remarks highlight not just a political clash with the Trump administration but also a broader conflict within the academic world. His strong language—accusing universities of “selling their souls”—shows the high stakes involved when billions in funding are tied to compliance with federal demands.