Trump has also threatened federal funding for universities that allow students to exercise their freedom of speech
President Trump has made it clear that he has no problem with protests—as long as they support him. Immediately after taking office in January 2025, President Trump issued a pardon for all January 6th Capitol protestors, even those who violently stormed the Capitol, threatened the lives of elected officials, and assaulted police officers.
However, Trump has reversed course when it comes to those who don’t agree with him. On Tuesday, March 4th, 2025, Trump wrote that "all federal funding will STOP" for schools or universities that allow "illegal protests.”
In his Truth Social post, Trump stated that "agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came."
Trump warned that American student protesters would be "permanently expelled" or arrested, "depending on the crime."
He also emphasized "NO MASKS!" in his statement.
College campuses have historically been centers for various forms of protest and civic engagement. The First Amendment's freedom of speech and assembly provisions protect protests in certain public spaces. It remains unclear which law or federal power Trump plans to invoke to implement these measures against demonstrators.
