US President Donald Trump said he would cut funding for universities that allow what he called “illegal” protests and prosecute and deport foreign students who participate.

On his Truth Social social media platform, Trump said that “all federal funding will STOP” for schools that permit students to protest illegally.

Trump’s announcement comes less than a year after massive student protests against Israel’s war in Gaza swept across US college campuses, including Columbia University in New York and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

American students will be expelled, Trump said.

Trump did not specify what would constitute an “illegal” protest. Broadly speaking, the right to protest is protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution.

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, also known as Fire, swiftly condemned Trump’s announcement.

“Colleges can and should respond to unlawful conduct, but the president does not have unilateral authority to revoke federal funds, even for colleges that allow ‘illegal’ protests,” the statement said.

The group added that the move will “cast an impermissible chill on student protests about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict”.