Mistake or Message? Why Columbia University is Distancing Itself from a “Death to America” Post
Columbia University is facing a firestorm of criticism after a shocking social media post surfaced following the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The post, shared by the account Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD), featured the phrase “Marg bar Amrika”—the Persian translation for “Death to America.” While the slogan has been a rally cry in Iran for decades, its appearance on a platform linked to one of America’s top Ivy League schools sparked immediate outrage. X (formerly Twitter) quickly suspended the account, and although the group briefly regained access by deleting the post, they later doubled down, stating that while the platform forced the deletion, their “sentiment still stands.
“The university was quick to go into damage control, issuing a firm clarification that the group is not an official affiliate of the school. In a formal statement, Columbia officials noted that there is no evidence the account is run by current students, staff, or faculty, accusing the group of “illegally using the Columbia name.” This tension comes at a sensitive time, as the university recently settled a $220 million deal with the Trump administration to restore federal funding after previous allegations of failing to curb campus antisemitism. As the U.S. and Iran enter a state of active conflict, Columbia is making it clear: they have “zero tolerance” for rhetoric that promotes violence, even as campus activists continue to push the boundaries of free speech.
