President Trump Announces Crackdown on “Woke” Race and Gender-Based University Practices, Promising a New Era of Merit, Free Speech, and Academic Excellence
President Donald Trump has announced sweeping federal action to end race- and gender-based practices in America’s higher education system, declaring that his administration will no longer tolerate what he called “discriminatory, unconstitutional, and anti-American” policies across colleges and universities. The statement, issued October 12, 2025, marks one of the most consequential education reforms in modern U.S. history and signals the beginning of a new national standard for merit-based admissions, faculty hiring, and campus governance.
In a detailed message posted on Truth Social, Trump criticized what he described as the “woke, socialist, and anti-American ideology” that has infiltrated university systems across the nation. “Much of higher education has lost its way,” he wrote. “It is now corrupting our youth and society with an ideology that serves as justification for discriminatory practices by universities that are unconstitutional and unlawful. My administration is fixing this — and fast.”
Under the new directive, the Department of Education and the Department of Justice will begin enforcing strict compliance measures to ensure that universities do not discriminate based on race or sex in any capacity. Schools that continue to do so could lose access to federal funding and grants. However, Trump’s administration is also offering what it calls a “Compact for Academic Excellence” — a federal agreement allowing universities to maintain eligibility for government funding if they adopt merit-based standards, uphold free speech, and ensure institutional neutrality.
The policy announcement comes nearly two years after the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark 2023 ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, which struck down race-conscious admissions policies. Trump’s new initiative builds on that precedent, expanding enforcement beyond student admissions to include hiring, research grants, and curriculum oversight. It also directly targets Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, which Trump has long criticized as politically motivated and divisive.
“For those universities that continue to illegally discriminate based on race or sex, we will continue our efforts to swiftly and forcefully enforce federal law,” Trump’s statement continued. “But for those institutions that want to return to the pursuit of truth and achievement, they are invited to join us in a forward-looking agreement to help bring about the Golden Age of Academic Excellence in higher education.”
According to administration officials, the first phase of the policy rollout will focus on nine major universities that receive substantial federal funding and have been previously identified for DEI-based hiring and admissions policies. These institutions will be offered an opportunity to sign compliance agreements affirming their commitment to academic merit, intellectual diversity, and transparency in financial dealings — particularly regarding foreign partnerships and donations.
The new policy also includes measures to protect free speech and debate on campus. “Universities will commit to protecting the civil rights of all students, faculty, and employees,” Trump stated. “They will stop racist admissions policies, put an end to illegal discrimination in hiring, and maintain intellectually open campuses that encourage honest debate, not censorship.” The administration is also expected to require participating institutions to publicly disclose any financial ties to foreign governments, particularly from China, as part of a broader effort to safeguard American academic independence.
The announcement has been praised by conservative lawmakers, education reform advocates, and free-speech organizations who view the move as a long-overdue correction to years of ideological bias in academia. Critics, however, argue that the policy could reduce diversity and chill academic freedom. Trump’s allies say those fears are unfounded. “This isn’t about politics,” said one senior White House official. “It’s about restoring fairness and excellence in American education — and ensuring every student has an equal opportunity based on merit.”
As Trump pushes ahead with this defining education reform, many see it as the fulfillment of a core 2024 campaign promise — to dismantle DEI bureaucracy, protect free expression, and return universities to their original mission: educating, not indoctrinating. With this announcement, Trump is signaling that the era of identity-based academia may finally be coming to an end, replaced by what he calls “a new age of truth, merit, and freedom on America’s campuses.”
