Senator John Kennedy appeared on the May 1 episode of ‘fox and friends‘ with co-hosts Steve Doocy, Ainsley Earhardt and Brian Kilmeade, where he criticized President Joe Biden for his handling of anti-Israel protests occurring on college campuses across the United States.
During the transmission, Kennedy expressed his belief that the president could end these protests simply by threatening to withhold federal funds from universities that do not control their campuses. Kennedy emphasized that President Biden has the power to stop the protests immediately.
He suggested that a direct threat to cut off federal funding to universities could be an effective deterrent, but accused the president of failing to take that step. According to Kennedy, the president’s reluctance to confront protesters could be influenced by political considerations, particularly the upcoming elections. He alleged that Biden was hesitant to alienate what he called the “Hamas wing of the Democratic Party.”
Highlighting a recent CNN poll, Kennedy noted that 52 percent of likely voters stated that they would not vote for President Biden under any circumstances, suggesting that some would prefer even a fast food worker over the current president. He interpreted these findings as a sign of widespread dissatisfaction with Biden’s leadership, which he said made the administration cautious about taking strong actions that could further alienate certain segments of voters.
Kennedy also argued that by allowing the protests to continue unchecked, the administration was essentially allowing this behavior to perpetuate itself. He used the phrase “What you allow is what will continue” to emphasize the need to take decisive action against university protests.
In response to these developments, the official student arm of the Democratic Party issued a statement following the occupation of Hamilton Hall at Columbia University on April 30. They called the protesters “heroic” and praised them for their moral clarity in confronting what they described as a genocidal and unjust war. The statement praised the bravery of students willing to face arrest and academic repercussions to defend Palestinian rights and called for an end to the conflict and the release of the hostages.
Additionally, the student group addressed the rise of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia on college campuses. They clarified that defending Palestinian freedom and opposing extreme actions by the Israeli government should not be confused with anti-Semitism. They condemned politicians who label all protesters as hateful and noted that many protests have been peaceful, marked by cultural and religious expressions of unity and peace.
In its closing remarks, the group reiterated its support for nonviolent protests and denounced any calls for violence against Jewish and Muslim students. They affirmed their commitment to promoting peace and justice within the international community, firmly supporting those who peacefully protest.