Federal Judge Rejects Unions' Lawsuit Against Trump Administration

A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's funding cuts and demands on Columbia University. The judge ruled that the plaintiffs, two labor unions, lacked standing, with Columbia absent from the case. The unions plan to appeal, perceiving government actions as authoritarian.

A federal judge in Manhattan has dismissed a lawsuit filed by two labor unions against the Trump administration. The lawsuit contested funding cuts and heightened demands for oversight related to Columbia University's Middle Eastern studies department.

U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil stated that the plaintiffs, the American Association of University Professors and the American Federation of Teachers, lacked legal standing to sue, as Columbia was not a party to the case. Vyskocil, appointed by Trump, asserted that judicial intervention in executive policies without the presence of the affected institution could undermine democratic functioning.

The decision came shortly after threats from the Department of Education to revoke Columbia's accreditation, prompting the university to review its studies department. The unions plan to appeal the decision, viewing the administration's actions as part of a broader authoritarian agenda.

(With inputs from agencies.)