Brussels: The US has condemned a Belgian university's suspension of an American scholar who publicly accused the late Cambridge professor Jason Arday of plagiarism, with Washington announcing that it is reviewing its relationships with Ghent University.

According to Anadolu Agency, US Ambassador to Belgium Bill White expressed strong disapproval on social media platform X, criticizing Ghent University's actions against Nate Cofnas, the American scholar involved. White emphasized the importance of protecting academic freedom and condemned what he described as "scapegoating mob behavior" by the university. He further stated that the US government, which regularly funds and supports various academic collaborations with international universities, is reconsidering its engagements with Ghent University due to this incident.

Ambassador White defended the principles of free speech, emphasizing that controversial views, such as those held by Cofnas, are safeguarded under freedom of expression. He clarified that the issue at hand was not about the content of Cofnas' work but rather about his right to report academic dishonesty without facing retaliation. "The ultimate purpose of freedom of speech is to overturn lies, fraud, and false ideologies," White asserted.

Cofnas identified himself as a "race realist" and had previously stirred controversy with his views on racial intelligence disparities in a 2024 blog post. In light of these views and his recent accusations against Arday, Ghent University initiated a preliminary disciplinary investigation and suspended Cofnas as a precautionary measure.

The situation has brought renewed focus on the late Jason Arday, who had gained prominence as the University of Cambridge's youngest Black professor. Arday's career faced intense scrutiny following allegations of plagiarism and questions surrounding his academic achievements and personal narrative. After resigning from Cambridge in August, Arday was found dead at his home in south London, with authorities treating his death as unexpected but not suspicious.