Trump Targets Colleges, Cracks Down on Foreign Funds \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ President Donald Trump has issued sweeping executive orders targeting American colleges and accrediting bodies, intensifying his push against “woke” and DEI initiatives in education. The actions include stricter enforcement of foreign funding disclosure laws and reforms to the federal accreditation system. The orders mark a strategic escalation in Trump’s higher education agenda.
Quick Looks
- Foreign Funding Scrutiny: Trump orders strict enforcement of Section 117 disclosures
- Targeting Harvard: Order follows conflict with elite universities over China ties
- Executive Action: Accreditors pressured to drop DEI-based requirements
- Federal Aid Impact: Colleges risk losing access to student aid funds
- New Accreditors: Order eases process for alternative accreditation bodies
- Section 117 Enforcement: Law from the 1980s now in full spotlight
- DEI Crackdown: Part of Trump’s wider campaign against “wokeness”
- GOP Response: Republicans praise move as protecting national interest
- Accreditor Shakeup: Trump aims to disband or replace existing groups
- Focus on Outcomes: Emphasis shifting toward graduation rates, workforce data
Deep Look
In a bold escalation of his ongoing battle against what he calls “woke” ideology in education, President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed a series of executive orders aimed at reshaping American higher education. The orders target elite universities, long-standing accrediting bodies, and the financial relationships colleges maintain with foreign nations, particularly China.
The actions mark Trump’s latest offensive in a sweeping campaign to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies and introduce a stricter focus on accountability, national security, and student outcomes.
Foreign Funds in the Crosshairs
A key element of the orders focuses on Section 117 of the Higher Education Act, a federal law that requires colleges to report foreign gifts and contracts totaling $250,000 or more. Although the law has existed since the 1980s, enforcement has been sporadic.
Now, under Trump’s order, both the Department of Education and the Department of Justice will intensify enforcement. Colleges that fail to comply may be penalized, including cutting off access to federal funding — a potential financial catastrophe for many institutions.
“The Trump administration intends to end the secrecy surrounding foreign funds in American educational institutions,” the order states, calling for safeguards against “foreign exploitation.”
The move follows a renewed focus on Harvard University, which Trump officials have accused of noncompliance and political opposition.
National Security and Higher Education
For many Republicans, college partnerships with adversarial nations like China and Qatar represent a national security risk. Representative Tim Walberg (R-MI), chair of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, welcomed the move, accusing China of using its academic ties to:
- Steal intellectual property
- Influence curriculum
- Indoctrinate students
Trump’s campaign team has suggested that these connections amount to a “foreign infiltration” of American education.
Accreditation System in the Spotlight
In a second order, Trump addressed college accreditors — the little-known but powerful bodies that determine whether schools qualify for federal financial aid programs.
Describing the system as “dominated by Marxist maniacs and lunatics,” Trump pledged to overhaul the process by which colleges receive and maintain accreditation. Chief among his goals is to strip accreditors of DEI mandates, many of which require colleges to maintain DEI offices, diversity hiring practices, and inclusive curricula.
“Instead of pushing schools to adopt a divisive DEI ideology, accreditors should be focused on helping schools improve graduation rates and graduates’ performance in the labor market,” said Education Secretary Linda McMahon.
DEI Standards Under Pressure
The order explicitly calls for suspending or terminating any accreditor that “discriminates in the name of DEI.” It also urges accreditors to reorient their standards toward:
- Graduation rates
- Post-graduation job placement
- Academic integrity
- Fiscal transparency
Some accrediting agencies have already quietly scaled back DEI requirements in anticipation of Trump’s reelection and the looming policy changes.
New Competition in Accreditation
Trump also announced a loosening of federal requirements to allow new accreditors to challenge the current system, which includes just 19 approved agencies. His order calls for the recognition process to be streamlined — made “transparent, efficient, and not unduly burdensome.”
Critics have long accused existing accreditors of forming a “self-perpetuating monopoly” that maintains ideological conformity. Trump’s order paves the way for conservative-aligned accreditors to emerge and offer alternative frameworks for college oversight.
What’s at Stake?
Colleges that rely heavily on federal financial aid and research funding now face a landscape where both their financial relationships and internal governance models are under renewed scrutiny.
Failure to comply with foreign disclosure requirements or to align with reformed accreditation standards could lead to:
- Loss of access to federal aid
- Ineligibility for federal research grants
- Increased public and congressional investigations
Meanwhile, conservative groups have praised the orders as a long-overdue course correction. Critics, however, warn that politicizing accreditation and targeting DEI could damage academic freedom and institutional independence.
Political and Cultural Backdrop
These executive actions come as Trump campaigns for reelection, building on his first-term education policies and sharpening his messaging against liberal institutions.
The push against elite colleges, DEI programs, and foreign ties is designed to energize his political base and reshape the national conversation around:
- American exceptionalism
- Educational accountability
- National sovereignty
For Trump’s supporters, the orders are seen as a reclamation of education policy from what they see as an ideologically captured bureaucracy.
What’s Next?
Implementation of the orders is already underway, with the Education Department expected to publish new compliance guidelines in the coming weeks. Accreditors will be reviewed for alignment with Trump’s policy goals, and universities may soon face surprise audits of foreign gifts and contracts.
Legal challenges are likely, especially from higher education associations, civil rights groups, and liberal think tanks.
But for now, the Trump administration is making it clear: federal support for higher education will come with strings attached — strings tied to ideology, accountability, and transparency.
Trump Targets Colleges
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