Education Secretary Linda McMahon on Friday defended President Donald Trump's attacks on elite universities like Harvard and Columbia, while saying that she is seeing "progress" from the institutions on the administration's demands.

The Education Department said Columbia University no longer appeared to meet accreditation standards after concluding that the school is in violation of anti-discrimination laws, the latest effort by the Trump administration to target elite schools over their handling of pro-Palestinian protests.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon said the school’s handling of campus antisemitism violated civil rights law and is grounds for revoking accreditation.