CNN’s Scott Jennings had a tense back and forth with left-wing rabbi Jay Michaelson, who appeared intent on deflecting instances of antisemitism on college campuses last year.
While on a panel discussing President Donald Trump’s decision Monday to freeze $2.2 billion in federal funds that had been set to go to Harvard University, Jennings said he agreed with the move.
Jennings, who is also a columnist for the DailyMail.com, referenced the letter from the government to Harvard sent out last week that in part demanded the private university ‘prevent admitting international students hostile to the American values,’ which included ‘students supportive of terrorism or antisemitism.’
During the heat of the protests last year against Israel’s war in Gaza following the October 7 attack by Hamas, there was a pro-Palestine encampment on Harvard’s campus that lasted for 20 days.
‘I think that this is all about antisemitism,’ said Jennings.
‘I believe that what has happened on these campuses in the Ivy League and in other places, mostly private institutions, has been an abomination. And someone has to stand up for these Jewish kids.’
Michaelson, who is a journalist on top of being a rabbi, said he wouldn’t be the one standing up for Jewish students, some of whom were prevented from going to class by protestors at places like UCLA.
‘It’s not going to be the rabbi at the table and it’s not going to be the entire Jewish community and it’s not going to be my friends in Jewish Studies who just had their grants canceled,’ Michaelson said.
After Harvard announced it would not comply with Trump’s demands, which also included ending all affirmative action and DEI programs, the Department of Education’s Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism swiftly announced the freeze on $2.2 billion in multi-year grants and $60 million in multi-year contracts.
Scott Jennings (left) and Jay Michaelson got into a heated debate on a CNN panel about President Donald Trump’s decision to yank federal funding from Harvard University after it allowed a pro-Palestine encampment last spring
In the fall semester, Harvard students also came together to protest Israel’s war in Gaza after Hamas attacked civilians on October 7, 2023 (Pictured: A graduate-student organized rally outside Widner Library on October 14, 2023)
‘Until Donald Trump came along and his administration decided to connect federal funds to stamping out the scourge of antisemitism on these campuses, nobody was willing to stand up for [Jewish students],’ said Jennings, an alum in the George W. Bush administration.
‘I think the American people don’t want a private university with a $53 billion endowment to get a dollar while a Jewish kid is being discriminated against on campus,’ he added.
Michaelson quickly fired back by saying, ‘What a joke. What a complete joke.’
He argued that the Republican party has its own problem with antisemitism, pointing to Nick Fuentes who has promoted white supremist idealogies.
Michaelson also made not-so-subtle references to Elon Musk, who donated nearly a quarter of a billion dollars to Trump’s 2024 campaign and subsequently became the head of the cost-cutting DOGE department.
He pointed out that Musk publicly supported German far-right party AfD, which has been accused of using Nazi slogans. Michaelson also reminded the panel that Musk was highly-criticized for doing a ‘salute’ during Trump’s inauguration.
Jennings then steered the conversation back to its original topic, pressing Michaelson on whether he condoned ‘what’s happening to these Jewish kids’ on college campuses.
Michaelson didn’t give a clear answer and host Abby Phillip jumped in to reign in her guests who were now shouting over one another.
Pictured: The pro-Palestine encampment at Harvard University, which lasted for 20 days during the spring semester last year
The heated cable news clash comes as the Trump administration already brought down the hammer on Columbia University, which last year had to have its pro-Palestine encampment disbanded by NYPD officers in riot gear (pictured)
‘Scott, I think the issue is not whether these universities should adjust antisemitism, the question is how is the government using government power to do it,’ Phillip said.
‘There is a complete distinction between the university addressing its own problems and the government forcing them to do it in a particular way.’
Jennings hit back: ‘If Harvard wants to give up the federal money, you can do all the antisemitism I guess you want at Harvard or any other school.’
The heated cable news clash comes as the Trump administration already brought down the hammer on Columbia University, which last year had to have its pro-Palestine encampment disbanded by NYPD officers in riot gear.
Trump pulled $400 million in federal funding from Columbia in the beginning of March. By March 21, university administrators caved and agreed to change their policies when it comes to student protests.
The university’s interim president said in a letter that Columbia will bar protests inside academic buildings. Students will also not be permitted to wear face masks on campus ‘for the purposes of concealing one’s identity.’
In an effort to expand ‘intellectual diversity’ within the university, Columbia will also appoint new faculty members to its Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies department.