Columbia Student Loans Are Threatened by Trump’s ‘Secret Weapon’

The Trump administration escalated its fight against top American colleges by targeting Columbia University’s access to federal student loans — a new tactic in the White House’s drive to wield power over academia and key financial streams.

The Education Department said Wednesday that Columbia no longer meets standards for accreditation, citing its leadership’s “deliberate indifference” to the harassment of Jewish students. It called for the school’s accreditor — which determines if institutions are eligible for federal student aid — to ensure the university’s compliance with anti-discrimination laws.

The move threatens federal loans that are particularly important to graduate attendees, as ...