Cornell denounces student’s viral antisemitic remarks, but won’t bar him from campus

Cornell University condemned antisemitic remarks made by undergraduate Austin Franco on Piers Morgan's show, but President Michael Kotlikoff said no further action is planned, citing free speech. Franco, who said he didn't want to work with Jews, faces backlash and parental rejection. The school, which settled with the Trump administration over antisemitism claims, balances free speech with combating hate.

Cornell University has publicly condemned antisemitic remarks made by undergraduate Austin Franco, who appeared on Piers Morgan Uncensored and defended his earlier statement that he did not want to work with Jews. President Michael Kotlikoff issued a statement late Wednesday, saying the university has an obligation to defend free speech even when it finds the speech abhorrent. He called the comments hateful generalizations and uninformed tropes, but said no further action is planned against Franco, citing federal privacy law. Franco, a rising junior, first sparked controversy in June when he wrote in an internship application that he was not interested in working for a Jew. His remarks were publicized by the Jewish co-owners of Handshake, the company he applied to. He has since gained support from far-right figures and launched crowdfunding campaigns. Cornell, which reached a $60 million settlement with the Trump administration last year over antisemitism claims, is balancing free speech with efforts to combat campus antisemitism. One Jewish faculty member, Menachem Rosensaft, said the administration's hands are tied, but there could be grounds for discipline if Franco makes harmful comments on campus.