Trump's higher ed shakeup starts a new semester

As students head back to campus, the Trump administration's ongoing efforts to reshape American higher education are intensifying. The administration has wielded federal funding leverage and threatened legal action against universities perceived as out of step with policy goals, sparking concerns that academia is becoming overly politicized. This aggressive approach marks a 19-month campaign that has scrutinized international partnerships and research funding, raising alarms about the future of academic freedom and institutional autonomy.