United States: The US president Donald Trump has signed a series of executive orders aimed at reshaping higher education, escalating his administration’s ongoing campaign against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programmes while tightening scrutiny on foreign donations to U.S. universities.
The measures, signed in the Oval Office, include directives to enforce existing laws requiring universities to disclose large foreign gifts and to overhaul the accreditation process, which Trump has repeatedly described as his ‘secret weapon’ to overhaul institutions that are dominated by Marxist maniacs.
Will Scharf, the White House staff secretary, introduced the orders, criticising third-party accrediting agencies for prioritising what he called ‘woke ideology’ over academic merit. Education Secretary Linda McMahon echoed this sentiment, stating that, “We should be looking at those who have real merit to get in, and we have to look harder at those universities that aren’t enforcing that.”
The president’s actions follow years of combative rhetoric and policy moves against universities. Since taking office, his administration has slashed billions in federal funding for non-compliant institutions, dismantled DEI initiatives, and taken punitive actions against international students engaged in activism.
In a statement, more than 150 university presidents condemned what they called unprecedented government overreach and political interference. Harvard University, specifically named by Scharf during the signing, has already filed a lawsuit against the administration over threatened funding cuts tied to foreign gift disclosures.
The White House’s latest order empowers McMahon to penalize accrediting bodies for ‘poor performance or violations of federal civil rights law’ and calls for investigations into alleged ‘unlawful discrimination’ tied to DEI practices. The administration argues such standards are discriminatory and exceed the legal authority of accrediting organisations.
During the signing, Trump declared the U.S. was ‘getting out of that DEI jungle,’ framing the executive actions as part of a broader cultural shift. Notably, despite his broader critique of diversity programmes, the president also signed an order creating a White House initiative to support historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
The move establishes a presidential advisory board on HBCUs, aimed at promoting affordability, innovation, and student retention. Additional orders focused on workforce development and artificial intelligence (AI) education were also signed, signalling an effort to prepare the next generation of workers with tools for the evolving job market.
TRENDING | Kashmir in mourning: Gunmen kill 26 tourists in Pahalgam
