NEW YORK (AP) — Columbia University has reached a deal with the Trump administration to pay more than $220 million to the federal government to restore federal research money that was canceled in the name of combating antisemitism on campus, the university announced Wednesday.

Related Articles

GOP House members want to run in other races. Trump is telling them to stay in their seats

US government is building a 5,000-person immigrant detention camp in west Texas

Bondi facing Democratic calls to testify following report she told Trump he was in Epstein files

House GOP seeks to censure Democrat McIver over New Jersey detention center incident

Gabbard uses surprise White House appearance to attack Trump’s enemies on the Russia investigation

Under the agreement, the Ivy League school will pay the $200 million settlement over three years to the federal government, the university said. It will also pay $21 million to settle investigations brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

“This agreement marks an important step forward after a period of sustained federal scrutiny and institutional uncertainty, acting University President Claire Shipman said.

The administration pulled the funding, because of what it described as the university’s failure to squelch antisemitism on campus during the Israel-Hamas war that began in October 2023.

Columbia then agreed to a series of demands laid out by the Republican administration, including overhauling the university’s student disciplinary process and adopting a new definition of antisemitism. Wednesday’s agreement codifies those reforms, Shipman said.

By JOEY CAPPELLETTI and JILL COLVIN

WASHINGTON (AP) — Michigan Republican Rep. Bill Huizenga was ready to launch a U.S. Senate bid. All he needed was President Donald Trump’ s blessing.

Related Articles

Columbia University reaches a deal with Trump to restore federal research funds

US government is building a 5,000-person immigrant detention camp in west Texas

Bondi facing Democratic calls to testify following report she told Trump he was in Epstein files

House GOP seeks to censure Democrat McIver over New Jersey detention center incident

Gabbard uses surprise White House appearance to attack Trump’s enemies on the Russia investigation

But in a White House meeting last week, the president encouraged Huizenga to run for reelection rather than challenge former Rep. Mike Rogers for Senate in the battleground state, hoping to keep his west Michigan seat secure, according to three people with direct knowledge of the conversation.

On Wednesday, Huizenga announced he was skipping the Senate race.

“After careful consideration … as well as in consultation with President Trump, I have decided against a bid for U.S. Senate in Michigan,” he said in a statement.

It’s the latest example of Trump’s increasingly heavy-handed efforts to keep incumbent House members in their seats and keep those seats in GOP hands as he and his political team try to avoid what happened in his first term, when Republicans lost the chamber after just two years. From Michigan to New York to Iowa, Trump has actively worked to reshape Republican primary fields, demonstrating the enormous influence he wields over a party that, by and large, answers to him.

Trump puts his thumb on the scale for the 2026 midterms

In Iowa, Rep. Zach Nunn had been weighing a run for governor until his own conversation with Trump, after which he opted to seek reelection to a seat that national Republicans feel would have been more competitive without an incumbent on the ballot. Trump offered a full-throated endorsement of Nunn’s reelection after he said he spoke with him.

Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, takes a selfie following the passage of President Donald Trump’s signature bill of tax breaks and spending cuts, Thursday, July 3, 2025, at the Capitol in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

And on Wednesday, New York Rep. Mike Lawler announced he would defend his pivotal swing seat rather than launch a gubernatorial bid after a private meeting with Trump last week.

“He obviously encouraged me to run for reelection to the House,” Lawler said about his conversation with Trump. “That’s where his focus is.”

The efforts are the latest demonstration of Trump and his political operation’s intense focus on keeping control of the House next year.

The party in power historically loses seats in midterm elections. But Trump, according to people familiar with his thinking, is determined to avoid a repeat of 2018, when Democrats took over the House and proceeded to block his legislative agenda and then impeach him twice.

Trump is hoping he can buck history and maintain maximum power for the next three-and-a-half years, despite his lame duck status.

To that end, he and his team have worked to dissuade incumbents in potentially vulnerable seats from stepping down to pursue runs for the Senate or governor, delivering the message that they are all on the same team and that it is in the party’s best interest to keep control of the chamber.

FILE — U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler, of New York’s 17th District, marches in the 2025 Israel Day Parade, on New York’s Fifth Avenue, May 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

“We have a tight margin. These competitive districts are going to be determinative of the outcome,” said Lawler. “Of course, the president has a focus on wanting to keep these seats and avoid unnecessary primaries.”

Trump still wields power over GOP members

Trump’s success in dissuading members from pursuing what are effectively promotions is yet another demonstration of the enormous power he wields over members, many of whom have made clear that they will not run unless they have the president’s blessing.

At the same time, he’s shown a willingness to greenlight bids from members in safer seats. Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, who represents a deep red district, continues to move toward a potential run for governor. Trump also signaled support for a Senate bid by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene in Georgia, though she ultimately decided against it.

Republican House candidates this year are generally trying to run in lockstep with the president — a reflection of his sky-high popularity with Republican voters and his success last November in drawing new voters to the party. Republicans are eager to replicate that model after struggling in the past to turn out Trump’s supporters when the president isn’t on the ballot.

Democrats, meanwhile, have tried to cast the moves as a sign that Republicans are nervous about 2026.

“They know their prospects for reelection are grim. They have been ordered by Donald Trump to seek reelection. In other words, Donald has signed their political death sentence,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters Wednesday. “They chose to bend the knee.”

Huizenga steps aside

Huizenga, for months, had been contemplating challenging Rogers in the Republican primary, waiting for a more formal discussion with Trump about the race, although they had spoken on the phone multiple times. Some Republicans in the state felt that Rogers should be challenged, since he lost last year even as Trump won by nearly 80,000 votes. Rogers has hired a number of Trump’s staffers, including his former campaign co-manager, Chris LaCivita.

FILE – Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Mich., speaks at a campaign rally, Nov. 4, 2024, in Grand Rapids, Mich. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)

While the emphasis from the White House was on keeping the House seat — which Huizenga won by just under 12 percentage points — he has not yet made a final decision on reelection.

“Every two years, Bill sits down with his wife to discuss what is best for their family,” Brian Patrick, Huizenga’s spokesperson, said in a statement. “This election cycle is no different.”

Lawler said that while Trump shared his desire for the congressman to stay in the House, “I didn’t get here by doing as told.”

“It’s something that I’ve thought extensively about and went through a very unemotional process and a more data driven process than anything,” said Lawler.

Not everyone has abided by Trump’s wishes. Rep. John James of Michigan is running for governor in a crowded GOP field, leaving open a competitive House seat.

“He’s running for governor but I’m not sure I’m too happy about that, John,” said Trump during an event in June, with James in the audience.

“Do we have somebody good to take your seat? ‘Cause otherwise we’re not letting him run for governor,” Trump said with a laugh.

James’ spokesperson, Hannah Osantowske, said in a statement that James has earned “the President’s endorsement in every race and is committed to earning it again.”

“He’s a proven winner, and President Trump backs winners who’ve stood by him,” Osantowske said.

Trump has leveraged other power over Republicans

Beyond discouraging members from running, Trump is flexing his power in other ways. In Texas, he has pushed Republicans to try to redraw House district maps to help protect Republicans’ slim majority next year. He wants Republicans to carve out as many as five more winnable congressional districts — a high-risk, high-reward maneuver that could energize Democratic voters.

The intense involvement in House races stands in contrast to the Senate, where Trump, until now, has generally avoided wading into contentious and open primaries in crucial battleground states like North Carolina and Georgia, as well as in Texas. In the Lone Star State, a longtime ally, Ken Paxton, is challenging incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, to the dismay of many national Republicans who fear Paxton would be toxic in a general election.

Even in Michigan, where Rogers is now expected to be the lone high-profile Republican in the open race, Trump has yet to endorse.

The contrast, allies say, reflects the more disciplined approach his political operation is taking compared to years past. That includes subjecting candidates Trump may endorse to a careful vetting process that includes an assessment of their teams and fundraising capacity.

Colvin reported from New York.

Minnesota officials on Wednesday announced the launch of a new tip program for missing and murdered Indigenous relatives cases.

The Gaagige-Mikwendaagoziwag Reward Fund Tip Program — meaning “They will be remembered forever” in Ojibwe — will offer financial rewards of up to $10,000 for tips that significantly move investigations forward. The tip reward program is an extension of the state’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR) Office within the Department of Public Safety.

Interim MMIR Director Ana Negrete announced the program’s launch Wednesday at a press conference in St. Paul alongside Commissioner of Public Safety Bob Jacobson; Sen. Mary Kunesh, DFL-New Brighton; Bemidji Police Chief Mike Mastin; and affected families.

“There are questions that have gone unanswered for far too long,” Negrete said. “These questions bring us here today. These questions need to be answered, and our families need and deserve justice.”

Currently, 16 active cases qualify for rewards under the program, she said. Tips may be submitted anonymously to local law enforcement or through third-party platforms such as Crime Stoppers. To be eligible for an award, the tip must pertain to an open case, provide “specific and actionable information” that helps move the investigation forward, and cannot come from a suspect or accomplice in the crime, Negrete said.

The rewards are set in three tiers: $1,000 to $2,500 for the identity of persons of interest, up to $5,000 for tips that lead to an arrest or significant progress, and up to $10,000 for locating remains or closing out long-term unsolved cases.

Kathy Mishow, mother of Kateri Mishow, who has been missing from Minneapolis since 2007, spoke at the program’s launch. She said she remembers waiting to see reports about her daughter on the evening news after she initially went missing.

“Instead, we saw a report about a dog that had run away from the scene of a car accident,” Mishow said. “I wondered when I would see the reports about our daughter, but never really did.”

Kathy Mishow said her family once received a tip that suggested Kateri might be by the Mississippi River — her husband walked along the banks of the river every day for a year following that tip.

“Please help us end this,” Kathy Mishow said.

Lisa Ortley, mother of Frank Joseph Ortley, Columbia Heights, who was murdered in October of 2022, said Wednesday that she needs justice, as her son’s case remains unsolved almost three years later.

“I just need people to talk,” she said. “I know there are people in our circle that know things and they’re not coming forward. I know people — that have known him all his life — know things that are not coming forward.”

The state’s tip program was inspired by a similar local effort in Duluth , Negrete said Wednesday.

Kunesh, who co-authored the 2023 legislation that established the program alongside Rep. Liish Kozlowski, DFL-Duluth, said Wednesday that the program has a total base fund of $250,000 in one-time funding and has generated an additional $100,000 from the sales of 4,500 MMIR license plates across the state.

“Sometimes money loosens a tongue, sometimes it creates a discussion,” Kunesh said Wednesday. “At the end of the day, we have to remember that our Indigenous people, our American Indian people, have had such a long distrust of policing … of government, and that distrust has really added to … the barriers in finding out what has happened to our loved ones. And so … if there’s a way that we can create an opportunity to come forward to share that information, then I think this is … money, well spent.”

Mastin said Wednesday that his police department has investigated “thousands” of these cases and has two cases left: Jeremy Jourdain and Nevaeh Kingbird, both of whom went missing in Bemidji in 2016 and 2021, respectively.

“That information that you are hanging onto that’s tearing at you, it’s time to let it out, and this is an opportunity to do that,” he said. “I’m hopeful that through the creation of this … this is that final step … final encouragement that people need to share information, and we can bring all of our missing relatives home and bring closure to all of our families.”

According to the MMIR Office, 716 Indigenous people were reported missing in Minnesota in 2024. MMIR also reported that Indigenous women make up 1% of the state’s population but account for 10% of all missing women in the state reported in 2024.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the third leading cause of death among Indigenous women and girls is murder. Indigenous women experience a murder rate 10 times higher than the national average, according to the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center.

Related Articles

Apple Valley teen charged in shooting that killed 11-year-old in Minneapolis

Mom of slain St. Paul woman: ‘My child didn’t deserve to die in such a horrific and brutal way’

Former CFO sentenced for $200K theft from long-standing, family-owned St. Paul business

Charges: Teen told police he and victim were ‘playing’ before accidental shooting

Man fatally shot at St. Paul encampment ID’d as 37-year-old

LAS VEGAS — New Gophers starting quarterback Drake Lindsey has big shoes to fill this fall, and the 6-foot-5 redshirt freshman took some initial paces in a large pair of white and brown Louis Vuitton sneakers at Big Ten Media Days on Wednesday.

In a matching off-white summery suit, Lindsey looked comfortable, and the U will need him to mirror that confident ease on the field when the season starts against Buffalo on Aug. 28.

“A clean look … with a little flair to it,” a smiling Lindsey told the Pioneer Press about his fit inside the Mandalay Bay Resort.

Photographers and videographers film Minnesota Gophers quarterback Drake Lindsey (5) during the team media day held at the Gibson/Nagurski complex in Minneapolis on Wednesday, July 16, 2025. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

Last fall, Lindsey’s jersey didn’t get dirty very much as he made short cameos in sixth-year senior Max Brosmer’s stead. He completed four of five passes for 50 yards and a touchdown, with a special package for Lindsey in the 24-10 win over Virginia Tech in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.

Now Lindsey, who played in only five games, is finding his footing as a team leader.

In March, Lindsey invited a small group of teammates to work out in Atlanta, with noted quarterback trainer Quincy Avery (the same guy who has helped Brosmer). In May, Lindsey brought more than a dozen teammates to workout at Exos Sports Performance Training in coastal Pensacola, Fla.

“I think it’s huge getting in a different environment because you’re also together all day doing fun activities as well as training,” Lindsey said. “So you get to learn new things about each other, talk about different things. … New stories come up, talking about your beach times with your family, or beach times with your friends. You just learn a lot of things about your teammates.”

Lindsey has done other small-group outings, with star safety Koi Perich coming to Lindsey’s hometown in Fayetteville, Ark. in May. Then in June, Lindsey, top defensive end Anthony Smith and new backup QB Emmit Morehead flew to Southern California to watch Jake Paul beat Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., in a boxing match.

“It’s contagious to be around him,” Smith said Wednesday. “You are never not smiling around Drake. … That just goes along with how connected the team is: a defensive linemen with two quarterbacks? I don’t know if that makes sense if you say that out loud.”

Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck pointed to Lindsey’s biggest growth being in the leadership area.

“He has always been talented,” Fleck said. “He’s always had a big arm. He has always been able to shape the football really well. He’s a good processor. He’s really smart.

“Max was the alpha dominate leader on our football team last year,” Fleck continued. “I don’t think that is any question. When you lose that, sometimes that can get filled with trying to be the leader, acting like the leader. Drake was very meticulous in how he watched Max create that.”

But in the end, Lindsey must be himself. Otherwise, his leadership would be inauthentic.

“After the bowl game, it was my show to take over,” Lindsey said of Brosmer’s final game in Charlotte. “At first, you try to attempt to talk like Max, kind of act like Max because that’s what I saw, and that’s what I looked up to for a year. And then as I go about spring ball and go about different things, you start earning your own respect.”

While Brosmer is more introverted, Lindsey has let his extroverted ways come to the surface. Leading by example is a shared trait between the two QBs.

“(Lindsey) is the first one in the building most of the time,” transfer offensive lineman Marcellus Marshall said July 16. “When most guys are at home relaxing, he is watching film. He is taking the little steps necessary to be able to be successful in that role.”

So much of a team’s success rides on the ups and downs of the QB, but Fleck is trying to take some of that load of Lindsey’s shoulders. Fleck pointed to this year’s perceived depth of playmakers at receiver, running back and tight end, along with an athletic offensive line.

“This year has to be the surrounding cast,” Fleck said. “Drake is part of it, but we are talking about the surrounding cast this year of really elevating the game. Where I felt last year was about Max Brosmer.”

Related Articles

Gophers football: P.J. Fleck sets College Football Playoff as goal for 2025

Gophers football picked to finish 11th in Big Ten this fall

Gophers football: 8 standout quotes from players at U’s local media day

Gophers in $9 million hole for next year, sketch out plan to tackle it

Gophers football coach P.J. Fleck receives contract extension