Bill White, the U.S. Ambassador to Belgium, condemned the suspension in a social media post Friday, writing that the Trump administration would be “reviewing any relationships we have with Ghent University,” and defended Cofnas against what he described as scapegoating.
“The United States government regularly funds and supports research, academic exchanges, and other engagements with overseas universities,” White continued. “Dishonest, corrupt institutions that engage in, or reward, scapegoating mob behavior are not desirable partners for us.”
The university has two ongoing grants from the Department of Defense, whose collective obligations are worth $869,000, according to USAspending.gov.
The American Embassy in Belgium and Ghent University did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Arday’s death propelled a flurry of blame across higher education and beyond, following a public fall from grace. Defenders of Arday argued that he was the victim of a witch hunt targeting a Black professor.
Cofnas, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment, wrote in an opinion essay in the Wall Street Journal Friday before White’s statement that he blamed Cambridge for propping Arday up despite his lacking qualifications. He also suggested that extensive media coverage of the scandal was partly responsible.
“I’m an easy scapegoat because I hold views about race that are controversial and easily misunderstood,” wrote Cofnas, whose research touches on differences in intelligence across races and is a self-described “race realist.”
