Fulbright Board Resigns in Protest of Trump Administration Interference
Kyiv • UNN
All members of the Fulbright Scholarship Board have resigned, accusing the Trump administration of interfering with the program. They stressed that this violates academic independence and the Fulbright-Hays Act.
All 12 members of the Fulbright Scholarship Board have resigned, accusing the administration of US President Donald Trump of illegally interfering with the student, academic and artistic exchange program, canceling approved scholarships and violating the Board's powers. According to the members, the actions of the US government contradict the nearly 80-year bipartisan tradition of academic independence, UNN reports with reference to Axios.
On Tuesday, June 10, all 12 members of the Fulbright Scholarship Board for foreign students resigned, stating that the Trump administration "usurped the Board's authority" and refused to grant scholarships to a "significant" number of selected fellows, the statement said.
The board of directors resigned in an open letter, calling the actions of the Trump administration "unprecedented" and "unacceptable under the law."
The Board argued that the current administration has not only denied Fulbright scholarships to individuals selected by the board for the 2025-2026 academic year, but that it is currently subjecting 1,200 foreign Fulbright recipients to an "unauthorized review process" and may reject even more applications.
The Board also stated that this is contrary to the Fulbright-Hayes Act, which gives the board the power to finally approve applicants.
The State Department did not respond to a request for comment.
The Board stated that the Trump administration's interference is contrary to the "bipartisan" history of the program.
Under the administrations of both Democrats and Republicans, the Board has adhered to the law, acting independently within its statutory authority
Implementing policies and ideological mandates in the Fulbright program violates the letter and spirit of the law that Congress so wisely established nearly eight decades ago
The Board also stated that it has "repeatedly" raised its legal objections with senior administration officials, but they have "refused to acknowledge or respond to them."
As noted in the publication, this is the latest example of the Trump administration's attempts to reorganize higher education anywhere it has influence.
Let's add
The Fulbright Program is a prestigious international exchange program funded by the US government that allows students, academics, artists, and professionals from different countries to study, teach, and conduct research in the US, as well as exchange knowledge and experience.