The Trump administration has frozen $108 million to Duke University just days after it launched an investigation into alleged race-based discrimination at the institution.
The frozen funds from the National Institutes of Health will affect the Duke University School of Medicine, according to a senior administration official.
The Hill has reached out to Duke for comment.
The frozen funds come after the Education Department and the Department of Health and Human Services sent a letter to Duke alleging race-based discrimination in the selection of law journal members, along with admissions, hiring and promotions practices.
The accusations are similar to those Trump officials have leveled at other organizations that have engaged in diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
The administration said the school should make “necessary” personnel changes, prove it has reformed its policies and is sticking with them, and create a “Merit and Civil Rights Committee.”
“I am proud to partner with Secretary Kennedy to ensure that Duke commits to excellence, integrity, and lawfulness in their training of our nation’s future leaders,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement. “If Duke illegally gives preferential treatment to law journal or medical school applicants based on those students’ immutable characteristics, that is an affront not only to civil rights law, but to the meritocratic character of academic excellence.”
Duke is the latest victim in the Trump administration’s attack on funding for universities.
Harvard University has been cut off from $3 billion in federal funding, a move it is currently fighting in court.
Columbia University just recently saw its $400 million funding pause reversed, but only after the university agreed to significant reforms and paid a fine of more than $200 million.
