Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., on Sunday urged the Trump administration to cut off federal funding to the University of Michigan after a professor appeared to praise anti‑Israel student activists who illegally set up a campus encampment following Oct. 7, 2023. “It’s unacceptable for any university professor to praise chaos that glorified America’s enemies, justified violence, and terrorized Jewish students,” Scott wrote Saturday on X. “If this is what Americans are paying for, it’s time to cut them off COMPLETELY.” According to the university’s website, the University of Michigan received at least $1.17 billion in federal taxpayer funding during fiscal year 2024. Scott’s remarks followed comments by University of Michigan professor Derek Peterson during the school’s spring 2026 commencement ceremony, in which Peterson publicly praised pro‑Palestinian student activists who had participated in the now‑dismantled encampment. “Sing for the pro‑Palestinian student activists, who have for these past two years opened our hearts to the injustice and inhumanity of Israel’s war in Gaza,” Peterson said during the ceremony. University administrators previously determined that the encampment posed a safety risk to the campus community and violated university policies. The encampment also resulted in vandalism of campus property, according to reporting by The College Fix. “In recent days, encampment participants have also received numerous outreach attempts from U‑M administrators and DPSS leadership, asking them to leave,” campus police said in a statement at the time. “The encampment posed safety risks, both to participants and the community at large, and its presence was in violation of policies and regulations. Its removal was important to help maintain the safety and security of the U‑M campus community.” After the encampment first emerged, the homes and private property of several university regents and administrators were vandalized, The College Fix reported. In June 2024, the front of Jewish Regent Jordan Acker’s law office was spray‑painted with the phrases “free Palestine” and “divest or f— off.” In October 2024, then‑University President Santa Ono’s home was vandalized with the words “intifada,” “coward,” and “divest.” In March 2025, Provost Laurie McCauley was targeted when protesters broke a window at her home and spray‑painted “free Palestine,” “divest,” and “no honor in genocide,” according to ABC News Detroit.