Trump Seeks $1 Billion Settlement From UCLA

After recently settling with both Columbia and Brown, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has become the next victim of Trump, being the first public university target. Currently, UCLA’s board is reviewing a $1 billion settlement offer from Trump after the government froze hundreds of millions of research funding over pro-Palestine protests. This week, Trump froze $584 million as he continues to scrutinize colleges nationwide. The government has alleged that UCLA failed to reel in its pro-Palestine protests, condoning them for anti-semitism and purposely violating the civil rights of Israeli and Jewish students. In response, experts have raised concerns over issues of free speech and academic vitality. The University of California says paying such a large settlement would devastate the institution. Additionally, Governor Gavin Newsom has asserted that California won’t bow to Trump’s political extortion. He’s even gone so far as to say that he’ll sue the Trump administration to protect the accredited public institution. However, if UCLA complies, this wouldn’t be the first time they’ve paid a settlement relating to the Israel-Hamas war. In 2024, they were the subject of criticism after counterprotesters attacked an encampment of protesters. The resulting violence lasted for hours, injuring over a dozen people. After hundreds refused to leave, more than 200 people were arrested. Later, Jewish students said demonstrators in encampments stopped them from getting to class. After these protests, UCLA agreed to pay a $6 million settlement to a lawsuit from 3 Jewish students and a Jewish professor who claimed the university violated their civil rights by allowing pro-Palestinian activists to block their access to classes. This instance sets a historical precedent for UCLA to acquiesce, but the heated words of Gavin Newsom—as well as the inherent partisanship of this issue—make compliance a controversial stance. As UCLA is the first public college affected, its response may set the tone moving forward, making it quite a meaningful decision.

Extemp Analysis by: Ty Tan

Question: How will the Trump targeting of UCLA affect the response strategy of future public universities?

AGD: I think both a joke and heart story could work here.

For your joke, you could poke fun at elite universities now fighting the elite (Trump), or some other general higher education joke. 

For a heart story, I would talk about some hurt in the protests or someone protesting, and the sort of dichotomy that could exist. 

Background: 

I would focus on defining some of the things surrounding the overall university crackdown, then shift toward specifying public universities and what could happen next. I would do:

1. The overall crackdown against universities by Trump

2. The next precedent being set by the UCLA settlement stuff

3. How this could set and inform the way by which other public universities respond

This background can be shorter and more concise since this topic is widely known.

Answer: Inform future strategy on responding to Trump’s attacks

1. Justifying Legal Readiness

2. Adopting transparent communication

3. Pushing Financial Diversification

Analysis + Concluding Thoughts

The general consensus is that public universities, like private ones, have to prepare knowing that public universities are now on the chopping block. My first point would focus on preparing for legal battles and building strong legal coalitions. For my second point, I would emphasize having public universities generate activism and be transparent, pushing for stronger communication. Lastly, I would emphasize that universities have to diversify their finances, to ensure that Trump cuts don’t have devastating effects. I hope this helps in directing your research, happy extemping!

Read more here: 

• Alan Blinder and Michael C Binder, the NYT

• Kyra Ceryanek, WPRI

• Staff, AP News

• Andy Rose, CNN