Columbia University interim president steps down amid clash with Trump admin over federal funding

Interim Columbia University President Katrina Armstrong has stepped down amidst a clash with the Trump administration over federal funding.

“Dr. Armstrong accepted the role of interim president at a time of great uncertainty for the University and worked tirelessly to promote the interests of our community,” said David J. Greenwald, chair of the board of trustees, said in a news release late Friday. “Katrina has always given her heart and soul to Columbia. We appreciate her service and look forward to her continued contributions to the University.”

Fox News also confirmed that board of trustees co-chair Claire Shipman has been appointed as the acting university president until the board completes its presidential search. Shipman has been on the board since 2013.

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Armstrong is expected to return to lead the university’s Irving Medical Center, Fox News has learned. Armstrong reportedly had a good relationship with the Department of Education.

The Trump administration recently pulled federal funding from Columbia University and put major pressure on Armstrong to make changes on campus.

Student protesters gather in protest inside their encampment on the Columbia University campus, Monday, April 29, 2024, in New York City. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)

Columbia was at the heart of 2024’s anti-Israel campus protests, with NYPD officers ultimately breaking up a barricade at Hamilton Hall in a highly publicized raid. 

Current acting president Claire Shipman has written four New York Times bestselling books, including The Confidence Code, The Confidence Code for Girls, Living the Confidence Code and Womenomics. 

Shipman has a new book coming out in June focused on women and power titled “The Power Code.”

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Armstrong stepped in after former Columbia president Minouche Shafik resigned in August amid claims of institutional antisemitism.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.