Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff spoke with Jewish students from Columbia University and Barnard College as well as Hillel leaders from Emory and the University of Texas at Austin on Thursday to hear their stories and experiences with antisemitism on college campuses, a White House official said, according to CNN.
Emhoff, the official added, listened to the students and leaders and reiterated his commitment to fighting hate speech and countering antisemitism.
Emhoff is the first Jewish spouse of a US President or Vice President and has been at the forefront of the efforts to combat antisemitism in the US.
Police have cleared several pro-Palestinian Arab encampments at US campuses in recent days.
On Thursday, LAPD and California Highway Patrol cleared an anti-Israel protest encampment on the UCLA campus, arresting 132 people.
On Wednesday, 17 protesters were arrested at the University of Texas at Dallas after law enforcement dismantled an encampment that pro-Palestinian Arab students set up in the early morning hours.
A day earlier,police officers entered Columbia University as pro-Palestinian Arab protesters remained on the campus.
Police officers also restored order on the CUNY City College of New York campus after it had been overrun by anti-Israel protesters.
Nearly 282 individuals were arrested overnight at both campuses.
Meanwhile on Thursday, President Joe Biden commented on the anti-Israel protests on campuses for the first time, saying that there is a right to protest, but not a right to cause chaos.
"I must be clear about this as well, there should be no place on any campus, no place in America, for antisemitism or threats of violence against Jewish students. There is no place for hate speech or violence of any kind, whether it's antisemitism, Islamophobia, or discrimination against Arab Americans or Palestinian Americans. It's simply wrong, there's no place for racism in America. It's all wrong, it's unAmerican! I understand people have deep feelings and deep convictions, in America we respect the right and protect the right for them to express that, but it doesn't mean anything goes. It needs to be done without violence, without destruction, without hate, and within the law," said Biden.
"Make no mistake, as President, I will always stand up for free speech, and I will always stand up for the rule of law. That's my responsibility to you, the American people, and my obligation to the Constitution," he concluded.