This report examines the unprecedented scale and scope of political interference in higher education by the Trump administration, including the August 8, 2025, Department of Justice ultimatum to the University of California seeking $1 billion in penalties and sweeping policy changes at UCLA.

Our report situates this moment within the longer U.S. history of state pressure on universities, from the late-19th century through the McCarthy era, the Vietnam War protests, and into the present-day wave of global illiberalism. Drawing on historical precedents in the United States and international case studies from Hungary, India, and Turkey, we contextualize the current existential threats to academic freedom and institutional autonomy. We conclude with strategies to safeguard academic freedom, secure independent funding, strengthen legislative protections, and mobilize public support for the essential civic role of higher education.

Read the full report [here].