House Speaker Mike Johnson visits Columbia University amid protests

Johnson’s remarks came before he is set to meet with Jewish students at Columbia University and share a meal with the university’s Rabbi Yuda Drizin before holding a news conference with three New York House Republicans and House Education and the Workforce Chair Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.). The GOP lawmakers intend to call on University President Nemat “Minouche” Shafik to resign.

Johnson has previously invited Jewish students to meet with him in the Capitol, and has often allowed them to tell their stories of being under attack at school during news conferences.

“It’s unconscionable. This president, Shafik, is shown to be a very weak, inept leader. They cannot even guarantee the safety of Jewish students? They’re expected to run for their lives and stay home from class? It’s just, it’s, it’s maddening,” Johnson said.

Johnson’s visit marks the first time the top representative in the House is visiting a college campus amid ongoing protests that have led to tense exchanges between pro-Palestinian and Jewish students. Over 100 people on Columbia’s campus were recently arrested and charged with trespassing, with several students taking part in the encampment-style protest receiving school suspension weeks before year’s end. Shafik called on the New York Police Department, whose officers arrived in riot gear, to arrest protesters just one day after she and other Columbia leaders told Congress that she make changes aimed at reducing antisemitism on campus.

The speaker’s visit also comes right after Johnson spearheaded the House passage of $95 billion in foreign aid, including $17 billion for Israel.

House Republicans have long accused colleges and universities of skewing left and pursuing a “woke” agenda that tramples on parental rights. But the antiwar outbursts on campuses across the country that began shortly after Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on Israel — and the rise of antisemitism on college campuses — are now frequently repeated Republican targets.

Neither Johnson, nor Congress, has any power to force a university president’s resignation. But a growing number of House Republicans have begun to call for slashing federal dollars sent to colleges and universities if they cannot control the protests on campus and guarantee student safety.

Johnson echoed the call Wednesday morning, though he is not expected to announce any legislative policy on campus, according to people familiar with his visit.

“We need to revoke federal funding these universities that they cannot keep control. We need to revoke these student visas for these violent protesters. You don’t have a right to be here and to do this, but Jewish students have a right to be able to peacefully attend classes. They’re trying to get an education and this is just madness,” Johnson said.

“We’re going to call on educational institutions like Columbia, if you cannot control what is happening at your university, if the president at this university is failing to keep students safe, then she shouldn’t be eligible for any federal aid coming into this university,” Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-N.Y.) said after touring the campus with fellow GOP freshman Rep. Michael Lawler (N.Y.) on Monday. Both will join Johnson on campus Wednesday, as well as Staten Island Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R).

During a Monday news conference, Lawler stated the hate for Jewish people is taught in Gaza, “and unfortunately we see it being taught in schools in America.”

“Every single one of these college and university presidents who refuse to take action should immediately resign in disgrace and if they don’t resign, their a — es should be thrown out,” he said. “I have never seen a more disgraceful act than what we are seeing on college campuses right now.”

House Republicans have been pummeling the heads of elite university institutions or months. House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) interrogation of Harvard President Claudine Gay over whether antisemitic remarks should be protected under free speech went viral.

The December hearing before the Education and Workforce Committee led to a bipartisan call on Capitol Hill to denounce or demand the resignation of leaders at Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania and Massachusetts Institute of Technology for their responses on the question, which many considered out of touch. Penn’s President Liz Magill and Gay both resigned amid public outcry.

The hearing launched further investigations by the committee and continual hearings to combat antisemitism on college campus, ending in Shafik’s Capitol Hill testimony last Wednesday

The Israel-Gaza war is also contentious among the House Democrats, with liberals clashing with some Jewish colleagues early on in the war. That prompted House Democratic leadership to attempt to keep attacks from becoming personal among colleagues. Over the weekend, 37 liberals voted against sending $14 billion in aid to Israel over concerns that humanitarian aid would not reach Gaza, joining 21 Republicans who did not support the measure over spending concerns.

House Democratic leadership has unequivocally condemned any antisemitic rhetoric and attacks on college campuses.

“Every American has the constitutional right to free speech and peaceful assembly in the public square. However, intentionally targeting Jews or any community on the basis of race, religion or ethnicity, acts of harassment and the use of physical violence will never be tolerated,” Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said in a Tuesday statement. “The effort to crush antisemitism and hatred in any form is not a Democratic or Republican issue. It’s an American issue that should bind us all together.”

In Wednesday’s interview with Hugh Hewitt, Johnson commented on seeing some news interviews with Columbia students, noting, “the vast majority of them have no idea what they’re talking about. They don’t know the facts … we’re relying on and calling upon and demanding these university officials to get control of this situation. It’s just completely out of control right now.”