Since the return of Donald Trump to the Oval Office in 2025, his administration has launched a sweeping campaign to redefine the American education landscape under the broader vision of “Make America Great Again.” Through a series of aggressive executive actions, the White House has sought to dismantle federal oversight, curb the influence of progressive ideologies like Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), and reassert state and parental control over education.
From shuttering the Department of Education to tightening the reins on elite institutions like Harvard University, Trump’s policies aim to strip the system of what he perceives as ideological bloat and foreign entanglement.
This campaign revolves around a larger narrative of recovering American sovereignty—both in terms of educational standards and national security. However, these measures have provoked heated political and legal debates, with opponents accusing the administration of weakening academic freedom, targeting minorities, and isolating the United States from worldwide academic interchange. As judges weigh in and colleges resist, the future of American education is poised between a push for traditionalist reform and a steadfast defense of academic autonomy.
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Dismantling the Department of Education.
On March 20, Donald Trump signed an executive order, returning the power of education to parents from bureaucratic control. He announced the closing of the Department of Education with the return of authority to the States. This department was created in 1979 by President Jimmy Carter, who convinced America towards federal control of education.
He emphasized that the remaining education funds are not to advance the “DEI” or gender ideology. Trump placed statistics of downfall in scores since the 1970’s. He cited Baltimore as an example where no student qualified in mathematics in 2023. BBC reported on March 21 that the department administered student loans to underprivileged students which came to a halt.
The long-term effects of closing the Department of Education in America
The grants provided to sexual minorities paused with Trump already canceling $226 million in grants under the Comprehensive Centers Program. Federal Taxpayers saved billions of dollars. Education funds cannot be granted under the jargon of “diversity, equity, and inclusion” or its euphemisms, the Trump administration said. As the funds are State-centric, redistribution of education would be challenging.
According to UNESCO statistics, America spends 5.4% of the GDP towards education. As per the 2025’s National Assessment of Educational Progress, 70 percent of 8th graders were below proficient in reading, and 72 percent were below proficient in maths. This established Trump’s ambition to decentralize education and return the power to families by cutting funds from education.
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Strengthening Higher Education:
In the executive order “Reforming Accreditation to Strengthen Higher Education”, The White House iterates that Accreditors have approved low-quality institutions. Most education institutions give a negative return on investment leaving the graduate under debt obligations. Accreditors have abused their authority by putting effort into DEI-based standards and avoiding the volatility of the market. Under section 2 of the Executive order- Holding Accreditors Accountable for Unlawful Actions, the Secretary of Education is to hold the Accreditors Accountable for their DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) initiatives.
The ABA’s Council, the sole accreditor for JD programs, mandated law schools to demonstrate diversity in students and faculty based on gender, race, and ethnicity – a requirement the Attorney General asserts violates the Supreme Court’s 2023 admission ruling. Enforcement is currently suspended pending revisions and critics argue such mandates must be permanently resolved. The White House has historically urged for a smooth selection of candidates without the banner of race, ethnicity, and sex.
Harvard University clashing with new American dream
“Crime rates at Harvard University — including violent crime rates — have drastically risen in recent years. Harvard has failed to discipline at least some categories of conduct violations on campus.”
On June 4, 2025, President Donald Trump issued a proclamation suspending the entry of foreign nationals to the US solely to study or participate in exchange programs at Harvard University. Citing national security concerns, the proclamation alleged that Harvard University has failed to cooperate with federal authorities by withholding information about misconduct and criminal activity by foreign students, thereby violating its obligations under the Student Exchange Visa Program (SEVP).
The administration also accused Harvard University of rising campus crime, inadequate discipline, and extensive financial ties with foreign governments, especially China, claiming that some of this collaboration supports Chinese military interests. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, the proclamation suspended F, M, and J visa entries for six months. The Department of State, Homeland Security, and Justice were instructed to enforce and evaluate further restrictions on Harvard programmes and visa eligibility. The proclamation states the US right to deny entry to institutions that fail to align with the law of the United States.
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International Students in peril
The Secretary of State, Marco Rubio has announced visa revocations if there is any link to the Chinese Communist Party as the White House considers China an official adversary. Students of China would face a higher amount of Scrutiny than anybody else. India has sent the most number of students to Harvard University, roughly a count of 788 (including scholars and students).
US court denies Trump a taste of victory
A federal Judge on Monday, June 23, took away the plan of Donald Trump to ban foreign nationals from studying at Harvard University. District Judge Allison Burroughs in Boston issued an injunction stopping the Trump administration’s move to block foreign students.
This injunction extends a temporary order the judge issued to prevent the administration from enforcing the proclamation of The White House signed a day earlier that viewed Harvard University’s foreign investors as well as its foreign students, a threat to the national security of the United States of America.
Negotiations between the Republican President and Harvard University
Harvard University finds itself in isolation as the Trump administration is bent on regulating Higher Education in its periphery. On June 24, both parties respectively indulged in negotiations where the prestigious Ivy League was not ready to compromise it’s values as it turned out to be an academy of resistance.
The administration expects a deal by the end of this month and the Havard University has refused to comment as it continues to face the highest opposition for maintaining its integrity.
