Trump Official Calls for Academic Who Was Suspended by His University Over Plagiarism Allegations Against Jason Arday to Be Reinstated

Donald Trump’s ambassador to Belgium has called for an American academic who was suspended by a university for sharing plagiarism allegations about Jason Arday to be reinstated in the name of free speech.

Nathan Cofnas, an academic specialising in the philosophy of biology, was stood down from his position at Ghent University on Thursday.

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Ghent University confirmed it had suspended the academic after a ‘preliminary disciplinary investigation’, adding that it ‘opposes discrimination, hatred and racism’.

In a joint statement on Wednesday, university rector Petra De Sutter and vice-rector Herwig Reynaert said while academic freedom and debate were important, it was ‘not unlimited’ and ‘may be restricted’ to protect the rights of others.

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In a lengthy statement on X, the ambassador said the United States Mission to Belgium condemned Ghent University’s ‘retaliation’ against Mr Cofnas following his ‘accurate whistleblower reporting on academic fraud’.

‘The United States government regularly funds and supports research, academic exchanges, and other engagements with overseas universities,’ he wrote.

‘Dishonest, corrupt institutions that engage in, or reward, scapegoating mob behavior are not desirable partners for us.

‘This is particularly true where the purpose and effect of the scapegoating is to punish accurate journalism unearthing academic dishonesty.

‘We are therefore reviewing any relationships we have with Ghent University. Bad-faith idealogues will try to make this a referendum on the content of Cofnas’s scholarship – or polemical distortions of it. That’s wrong.

‘Free speech means that controversial views are protected. And Cofnas’s views were known to Ghent University when he was hired. The ultimate purpose of freedom of speech is to overturn lies, fraud, and false ideologies.

‘This is precisely what Cofnas was doing, and precisely the reason his home institution wants to silence him.’

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