Teach-in: How to Fight Back Against Trump’s Secret Accreditation Weapon
Join us to learn how the Trump administration is using a little-known process to exert political control over universities, why this threatens democracy and academic freedom, and what we can do to fight back.
Controlling higher education is a classic move in the authoritarian playbook. Since his 2024 campaign, Trump has repeatedly hinted at a “secret weapon” against free speech and free thought.
That weapon is accreditation—the little-known process through which colleges and universities demonstrate that they meet educational standards and qualify for federal funding. The Department of Education has proposed new accreditation rules that threaten freedom to learn, teach, and conduct research—and will turn federal funding into a powerful tool of political control.
But we have an opportunity to push back. Anyone can submit comments on the proposed rules, and the Department of Education is required to consider public input before moving forward.
Trump is taking another page from the authoritarian playbook. Let’s make sure this one doesn’t work.