Trump’s billion-dollar ultimatum throws University of California into tumult

The University of California system, one of the nation’s largest and most prestigious public university networks, has found itself at the center of an unprecedented federal confrontation. The Trump administration has targeted UC with a barrage of investigations, demands for over $1 billion in payments, and scrutiny of its policies on antisemitism. Yet, as officials wrestle with these pressures, the system has revealed fault lines within its own ranks, highlighting the complex calculus of defending academic freedom while navigating the realities of federal funding. Across UC’s ten campuses, leaders, faculty, and students have diverged sharply on how to respond. Regents have met behind closed doors, while Gov. Gavin Newsom has publicly called for defiance. Meanwhile, campus-level offic