On Thursday, August 8, 2025, President Donald Trump issued a new directive requiring United States (U.S.) universities to submit detailed enrollment data to prove that they are not factoring race into their admissions decisions.
This move follows the 2023 Supreme Court ruling that banned the use of race based affirmative action in college admissions.
However, the Court did permit universities to consider applicants’ personal experiences related to race in their essays.
In a memorandum, Trump criticized the continued use of diversity statements and what he described as ‘racial proxies,’ suggesting that universities may still be using race covertly in admissions.
He wrote, “The persistent lack of available data paired with the rampant use of diversity statements and other overt and hidden ‘racial proxies’ continues to raise concerns about whether race is actually used in practice.”
Since returning to office in January 2025, Trump has launched a broad campaign targeting higher education institutions, accusing them of promoting anti conservative ideology, fostering anti semitism, and embracing what he calls ‘wokery.’
He has also signed executive orders limiting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in federal agencies programs originally designed to address systemic inequality.
Trump has argued that such DEI policies discriminate against white Americans.
“Greater transparency is essential to exposing unlawful practices and ultimately ridding society of shameful, dangerous racial hierarchies,” Trump stated in the order.
The directive mandates that universities expand their data reporting to the National Center for Education Statistics, allowing the federal government greater visibility into how admissions decisions are made.
Specific details of the new reporting requirements are expected to be announced later.
As part of his broader effort to reshape higher education, Trump has used federal funding as leverage.
He has pressured universities he considers overly liberal to make changes to their curriculum, admissions processes, and other areas.
Since taking office in January 2025, his administration has also reduced or frozen research funding to various institutions as part of wider federal budget cuts.
Columbia University was the first high profile target of Trump’s crackdown on elite universities.
He accused the school of failing to address anti semitism following a wave of pro Palestinian demonstrations on campus.
In response, the federal government revoked hundreds of millions of dollars in funding from Columbia and barred it from applying for new research grants.
This led to lab closures, funding freezes, and layoffs of dozens of researchers.
Last month, Columbia agreed to pay a $200 million settlement to the federal government and an additional $21 million to resolve a government investigation into campus anti semitism.
As part of the settlement, Columbia along with Brown University agreed to provide admissions data to the government, including racial demographics and standardized test scores, to demonstrate compliance with anti discrimination laws.
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