Linda McMahon, President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Education, committed to ensuring the safety of Jewish students on college campuses and addressing the backlog of federal civil rights complaints filed since Oct. 7, 2023, during her confirmation hearing on Thursday, though she did not offer specifics on how she would implement her plans. 

The subject of campus antisemitism came up repeatedly at Thursday’s hearing, with Democrats and Republicans of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee pressing McMahon for specifics on how her department could meaningfully tackle the issue. McMahon, the billionaire World Wrestling Entertainment co-founder, vowed in her opening statement and in response to senators’ questions to, if confirmed, use all tools at her disposal to address the crisis, but cautioned that she first needed to assess what resources were available. 

“We must protect all students from discrimination and harassment, and if I am confirmed the department will not stand idly by while Jewish students are attacked and discriminated against,” McMahon said in her opening statement, adding that she would look out “for the college freshmen facing censorship or antisemitism on campus.”

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), the committee’s chairman, asked McMahon how she’d address the backlog of complaints of antisemitic discrimination against universities at the Office for Civil Rights, which is part of the department, and ensure that “those responsible for illegal discrimination [are] held accountable.”

“What we saw happening on our campuses was absolutely deplorable. Kids locked in libraries, afraid to come out. Now, I believe in freedom of speech on campus, in open debate, and we should encourage that, but we cannot allow violence happening on our campuses that puts all students in an unsafe place,” McMahon replied. 

“If I were confirmed as the secretary of education I would want to make sure that the presidents of those universities and those colleges are taking very strong measures not to allow this to happen,” she continued. “They can call in the police, they can do whatever they need to do, set standards and to make sure those standards are upheld. We cannot allow that kind of violence to take place in our college campuses.”

As her confirmation hearing to be Education Secretary, @Linda_McMahon addresses what she would do about antisemitism on college campuses.

"What we saw happening on our campuses was absolutely deplorable."

Watch more below: pic.twitter.com/Zus2IDESeo

— Jewish Insider (@J_Insider) February 13, 2025

Pressed by Cassidy for specific ideas to address the OCR backlog, McMahon replied, “Well, I’d like very much to be confirmed and to be able to get into the department and understand that backlog, to talk to those lawyers who were there. And let’s focus on what we need to do to clear out that backlog. I’d look forward to doing that.”

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) referenced Trump’s executive order on antisemitism and directive to the Department of Education to investigate universities for their handling of campus antisemitism during his questioning of McMahon, whom he asked to “enforce the law, Title VI [of the Civil Rights Act], to the hilt” and “make sure that Jewish Americans are safe on our campuses.”

“These crazy students who are committing crimes, breaking windows, smashing into buildings, trapping Jewish students in libraries, will you make sure that this stops on our college campuses that are getting all of this federal tax money?” Hawley asked.

“Absolutely,” she replied. “Or face defunding of their monies.”

Also at the hearing, @HawleyMO questioned McMahon what she will do about antisemitic violence on campuses and about students who have participated while in the U.S. on a student visa.

"Will you make sure that Jewish Americans are safe on our campuses for heaven's sake?" pic.twitter.com/qKrgkFhX1G

— Jewish Insider (@J_Insider) February 13, 2025

Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) asked McMahon if she’d “be open to some type of an antisemitism commission to evaluate the progress of universities on this issue,” to which she responded affirmatively.

McMahon also agreed, at the urging of Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), who delivered an opening statement in support of her nomination in addition to questioning her at the hearing, to investigate the surge of antisemitism cases on university campuses since Oct. 7, 2023, “to the full extent of the law.” 

“Yes, absolutely. There should be no discrimination of any form,” McMahon told Scott. “I fully believe that there should be First Amendment protection for discourse and for freedom of speech, but when you become involved in activities that are actually endangering the students that are on campus, then that is not what should happen. And those schools that accept federal funding that allow that to happen, should face defunding.”

Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ), the only Democrat to ask about antisemitism during the hearing, said he was “alarmed” by reports of OCR staff, including some who were investigating antisemitism cases, being placed on administrative leave without notice or explanation. Kim asked McMahon if she thought that was the “right action” to “be taking at this time, that we see such a surge in antisemitism” and requested that she make it “a priority” if confirmed “to go and see whether or not this is going to impact our ability to respond to antisemitism.” 

McMahon said that she was not yet aware of the situation because she hadn’t started in the role, but said she would “make sure that we have everything that we need to have in place to protect our students on campuses.”

“I want to look into that, I want to understand it. I want to assess the department,” McMahon told Kim. “I can’t do that unless I’m confirmed and I get there, but I would certainly be willing to come back to you with a more specific answer.”

Kim expressed frustration with McMahon’s responses and criticized the cuts as “untethered from the reality on the ground.”

“I feel like this is such a clear place where we can just say, ‘Yes, we want to make sure we have as much resources as possible to be able to fight antisemitism, to make sure that we’re addressing these needs of such a surge,’” Kim said. “I just urge you if you are confirmed that we are understanding the human impact of the problems.”

.@AndyKimNJ asked McMahon about recent staff reductions at the Office of Civil Rights and its ability to respond to cases of antisemitism.

"I would wanna make sure that we have everything that we need to have in place to protect our students on campuses," McMahon responded. pic.twitter.com/rrVGRIODv6

— Jewish Insider (@J_Insider) February 13, 2025