In a major move to reshape American education policy, President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday that places college accreditors under unprecedented federal scrutiny, signaling a wider shift toward merit-based evaluation in higher learning.
The order directs Education Secretary Linda McMahon to investigate two specific accrediting bodies and warns that others could lose federal recognition. The move, part of a suite of education-related directives issued as Trump approaches the 100-day mark of his second term, suggests a significant departure from traditional oversight practices.
“America’s higher education accreditation system is broken,” McMahon said in a statement following the signing. She called the measure “long-overdue reform” that would promote competition and accountability in the sector.
The White House criticized accreditors for focusing on what it called divisive “diversity, equity, and inclusion” standards instead of ensuring academic quality and workforce readiness. The executive order authorizes the Education Department to revoke an accreditor’s federal status if it is found to violate civil rights law under the guise of DEI initiatives.
The directive singles out the American Bar Association and the Liaison Committee on Medical Education—agencies responsible for accrediting law and medical schools—for immediate investigation. While offering few specifics on enforcement, the order calls for the creation of new accrediting bodies and encourages alignment with what it terms “student-focused principles,” including promoting intellectual diversity and high-value programs.
The response from academic circles was swift and pointed. The Council of Higher Education Accreditation warned the action could compromise the autonomy of accreditation, while the American Association of University Professors accused the administration of using policy to impose an authoritarian agenda.
This push against existing accreditation norms comes amid growing conservative scrutiny of higher education, with Trump having previously called accreditation reform his “secret weapon” to combat what he views as ideological bias and lack of transparency.
In addition to reshaping accreditation policy, Trump also issued executive orders focused on enforcing the disclosure of foreign gifts to colleges and expanding support for historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). The directive on foreign funds echoes the goals of the DETERRENT Act, legislation passed by the House in March, which aims to curb covert foreign influence in American institutions.
Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.) praised the administration’s stance, claiming foreign adversaries have used university funding channels to “steal research and indoctrinate students.”
Another executive order revoked a Biden-era initiative supporting educational equity at HBCUs, replacing it with a new White House-based program. Trump, who previously moved the HBCU initiative from the Education Department to the executive branch during his first term, framed the change as a return to focus and efficiency.
Critics argue that these measures collectively tighten executive influence over education policy, risking institutional independence in pursuit of political aims. Supporters counter that they represent a needed correction to what they view as ideological overreach and bureaucratic inefficiency.
As the education sector braces for potential upheaval, the Trump administration’s latest actions underscore a broader effort to reset the standards and structures that govern American colleges and universities.
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