ISTANBUL 

Israeli Tel Aviv University received $615 million in grants from the US in 2023, according to its Form 990 filing, a document required for tax-exempt organizations.

While it is unclear how much of this funding came from USAID or US taxpayers, reports indicate that $462 million was spent on salaries and employee benefits.

Data from previous years shows the university received $581 million in 2022 and $613 million in 2021. A report by DataRepublican for the same year revealed that $379.3 million of the university’s funding came from US taxpayers.

Similar figures were reported for 2020, $566 million, and 2019, $467 million, though the exact portion of US government aid remains unclear.

For most years, it has been unclear how much of these revenues were direct US government aid.

The funding has sparked criticism, with social media users questioning why US taxpayer dollars are supporting an Israeli institution while American students struggle with significant student loan debt.

The university has also faced scrutiny over its past affiliation with the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute, which has been accused of unethical practices involving Palestinian corpses.

Tel Aviv University has yet to respond to Anadolu’s request for comment.

On Jan. 20, the White House announced a freeze on USAID’s budget, citing concerns over misaligned priorities.

President Donald Trump suspended development assistance for 90 days to evaluate its alignment with his "America First" policy, a move that has sparked concern among global aid organizations.

A White House statement asserted that USAID’s initiatives “do not align with American interests” and, in some cases, “destabilize world peace.”