Members of the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board turned in a mass resignation, citing alleged political interference by the Donald Trump administration. The Congressionally mandated board awards a select group of scholars and academics the opportunity to continue research abroad each year. Knewz.com has learned that although the Fulbright program is managed by the State Department, which conducts a yearlong search for candidates, the final approval rests with the independent Fulbright Board. However, the board alleged that the Trump administration “has usurped the authority of the Board” by denying Fulbright scholarships to “a substantial number of individuals” selected for the upcoming academic year.
Members ‘Voted Overwhelmingly’ to Resign
In a published statement, the 12 members of the board said that they “voted overwhelmingly to resign from the board, rather than endorse unprecedented actions that we believe are impermissible under the law, compromise U.S. national interests and integrity, and undermine the mission and mandates Congress established for the Fulbright program nearly 80 years ago.” The statement, which was posted on Substack, said that Congress originally gave the board final authority to approve Fulbright applicants when the program was first established. “Under Democratic and Republican administrations alike, the Board has followed the law, operating with independence pursuant to its statutory mandate. Indeed, the Fulbright-Hays Act emphasizes the non-political and non-ideological character of the program,” the statement added.
Trump Admin ‘Usurped’ the Board’s Authority
The statement alleged that the Trump administration has “usurped the authority of the Board and denied Fulbright awards to a substantial number of individuals who were selected for the 2025-2026 academic year.” Furthermore, the administration is also allegedly subjecting an additional 1,200 foreign Fulbright recipients to an unauthorized review process, with the possibility of further rejections. “We believe these actions not only contradict the statute but are antithetical to the Fulbright mission and the values, including free speech and academic freedom, that Congress specified in the statute,” the statement from the Fulbright board read. The board said that the individuals whose awards have been revoked include those intending to pursue studies in biology, engineering, architecture, agriculture, crop sciences, animal sciences, biochemistry, medical sciences, music and history, according to reports.
A Bipartisan Pillar of American Diplomacy
The former members of the Fulbright Board highlighted the program’s long-standing bipartisan support in their statement and described the program as “a bipartisan pillar of American diplomacy — an enduring symbol of our nation’s commitment to mutual understanding and diplomacy, academic excellence, and international cooperation.” The statement added, “This proud legacy has depended on one thing above all: the integrity of the program’s selection process based on merit, not ideology, and its insulation from political interference. That integrity is now undermined.” They further said that they had raised their legal concerns with senior administration officials. However, the board alleged that the “officials have refused to acknowledge or respond to the Board, failing to even attempt good faith efforts to course correct and operate the Program in accordance with the statute.” The former members of the board added that their resignation is “not a decision we take lightly. But to continue to serve after the Administration has consistently ignored the Board’s request that they follow the law would risk legitimizing actions we believe are unlawful and damage the integrity of this storied program and America’s credibility abroad.”
White House Defends Trump Administration’s Involvement
Although the former Fulbright Board members alleged that the administration’s involvement undermined the integrity of the program, the White House feels differently. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly released a statement defending the actions of the Trump administration, saying, “President Trump, not the Fulbright Board, was elected by the American people to ensure all foreign policy initiatives align with our national interests.” Furthermore, a senior State Department official pushed back against the claims that the Fulbright Board has always been nonpartisan. “The 12 members of the Fulbright Board were partisan political appointees of the Biden Administration. It’s ridiculous to believe that these members would continue to have final say over the application process, especially when it comes to determining academic suitability and alignment with President Trump’s Executive Orders. … The claim that the Fulbright Hayes Act affords exclusive and final say over Fulbright Applications to the Fulbright board is false. This is nothing but a political stunt attempting to undermine President Trump,” the official said in a statement.
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Author: Samyarup Chowdhury
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