When the Trump administration combats Jewish civil rights violations on campus, they face vigorous pushback in the name of academic freedom. But numerous American universities already willingly sold said freedom for foreign funding.
Americans are now increasingly aware of this crescendoing national security issue. Namely, America’s next generation of leaders is being indoctrinated with beliefs common in authoritarian nations.
Tiny Qatar has purchased sizable influence at American universities. Course content, extracurricular programming, and campus climates have all shifted in Qatar’s preferred direction.
Faran Jeffery, deputy director of the Islamic Theology of Counter Terrorism think tank, has explained the Qataris want soft power “to influence a number of US policies, especially when it come to Israel and the Middle East.” The Qataris “also use the same influence to provide an umbrella of protection to some US-based Islamist entities, like CAIR (the Council on American-Islamic Relations).”
Furthermore, according to Middle East Forum fellow Amine Ayoub, Qatar’s “strategic investments... promote narratives favorable to Qatari interests and suppress critical discourse on issues like authoritarianism and regional politics.”
Those effects are already perceptible. As Ayoub wrote in The Jerusalem Post earlier this year: “The wave of pro-Hamas demonstrations following October 7 2023 wasn’t spontaneous — it was the result of years of systematic brainwashing.”
Natalie Ecanow, a senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, has testified that colleges and universities have accepted $6.25 billion (£4.6bn) from Qatar since 2001. That number is likely an undercount, though, given widespread reporting problems.
As Ecanow’s testimony before the Texas House Committee on Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans’ Affairs noted, Qatar’s largesse also means that “colleges and universities are less reliant on traditional donor bases.” Consequently, administrators prioritise Qatar over alumni alarmed by changes, including rampant campus antisemitism.
What can reverse this tide? Northeastern University professor Max Abrahms suggested American Jewish philanthropists take their cue from Qataris, who’ve “been playing the game right.”
Qatar gives money “to further a specific agenda, and the money is processed in accordance with their goals.” Jewish donors’ gifts similarly need strings attached to ensure teaching is more even-handed when it comes to Israel, the Middle East, counter-terrorism, and extremism, including antisemitism.
Ayoub presented a series of suggestions aimed at combatting “foreign influence on US campuses”. They include using blockchain to track foreign donations; hosting diverse speaker events to promote balanced viewpoints; and passing legislation to lower foreign gift reporting thresholds.
Neetu Arnold, a policy analyst at the conservative think tank, the Manhattan Institute, agreed the proposed legislation, known as the Deterrent Act, is “crucial for the future of foreign funds transparency”. She added that she was “very concerned” by the example President Trump has set for universities on accountability, by calling Democrats “‘losers’” for opposing his replacing Air Force One with a $400m (£300m) jet provided by Qatar.
Reversing course will be tough job, because Qatari money and priorities are already so woven into so many US institutions. But universities must reconsider their values, for the sake of America’s future.
