US ambassador to Belgium defends controversial academic who scrutinized late Cambridge professor
Nathan Cofnas was suspended from Ghent University in Belgium pending an investigation following the death of Jason Arday.
U.S. Ambassador Bill White has defended American academic Nathan Cofnas, who accused a Black Cambridge professor of plagiarism and sparked controversy. Cofnas, who works at Belgium's Ghent University, was recently suspended and faces possible termination after publishing allegations. White stated that the Trump administration will review relationships with Ghent University and condemned the suspension.
Arday, the youngest Black professor at Cambridge in 2023, died earlier this month. Supporters argue he was the victim of a "witch hunt" targeting a Black professor. Cofnas, known for his controversial views on race, was fired from Cambridge in 2024 amid intense backlash over his Substack posts claiming that "Blacks would disappear from almost all high-profile positions outside of sports and entertainment." Cambridge had initially supported Arday but later initiated its own investigation.
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