Joseph Howley, a Professor of Classics at Columbia University, offers keen insights into the escalating conflict between higher education and political forces. He discusses Trump's $400 million funding withdrawal from Columbia due to alleged anti-Semitism and the implications for academic freedom. The chilling climate of fear among professors echoes McCarthyism, as dissenting voices are stifled. Howley also addresses the university's response to protests linked to the Gaza crisis, highlighting the dangerous impact of political interference.