Big Ten Schools Build Defense Against Trump?
In a move that’s raising eyebrows across the country, liberal faculty leaders at several Big Ten universities have launched a coordinated effort to resist President Donald Trump’s latest push to restore common sense in higher education.
Led by Rutgers University, the group is calling for a “Mutual Academic Defense Compact” — a legal and PR alliance among 18 elite institutions — aimed at shielding universities from what they describe as “political and financial pressure” from the Trump administration. The compact includes plans for shared legal counsel and pooled funds to push back against federal oversight and policy changes.
Rutgers, Michigan State, Indiana University, the University of Nebraska, and UMass Amherst have already adopted the resolution — with more faculty senates expected to follow. Their stated goal? To defend so-called “academic freedom.” But critics say this is really about protecting left-wing ideology, bloated diversity programs, and taxpayer-funded agendas that many Americans reject.
President Trump has made it clear: colleges receiving federal dollars must prioritize American values, transparency, and accountability. His administration has called for major reforms — including defunding radical diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, eliminating anti-American curriculum, and reviewing the status of foreign students on activist campuses.
Not all universities are eager to join the resistance. Some in conservative or swing states are wary of backlash — and fear losing federal grants or public trust. Rutgers is hosting a strategy session in May to persuade hesitant schools to join what they’re calling a “defensive alliance.”
Critics see the compact as yet another example of out-of-touch academia protecting its privileges, even as working-class Americans foot the bill. While faculty senates have no binding authority, their agenda reflects a growing divide between traditional American values and the radicalized university system.
As President Trump continues to clean up higher education, one thing is clear: the ivory tower is digging in — and taxpayers are watching closely.
