“Inconsistent with our core beliefs”: MIT first to defy Trump’s federal funding memo

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) President Sally Kornbluth has strongly opposed a new White House memo that outlines conditions for United States (US) universities to continue receiving preferential federal funding.

In an open letter to US Education Secretary Linda McMahon, Kornbluth said she “cannot support” the 10-point proposal, arguing that it threatens the independence of American higher education, as per a report by Economic Times.

“The premise of the document is inconsistent with our core belief that scientific funding should be based on scientific merit alone,” she wrote in the statement published on MIT’s website.

What the memo proposes

The White House document, sent last week to nine leading universities, lays out sweeping measures to reshape institutional policies on international enrollment, hiring, and campus governance.

Among its key provisions are:

• A 15 per cent cap on international undergraduate students

• A ban on the use of race or sex in hiring and admissions decisions

• A definition of gender strictly based on biology

The memo also warns that universities promoting values “beyond those outlined” could lose access to federal benefits, while those in compliance may be rewarded with additional support.

MIT first to formally oppose

MIT has become the first institution to formally reject the proposal. Kornbluth’s response comes amid widespread concern in academia about government interference in institutional autonomy.

Other universities, including Brown University, Dartmouth, the University of Virginia (UVA), Vanderbilt, the University of Arizona, and the University of Southern California (USC), said they were still reviewing the administration’s memo.

The University of Texas, however, has welcomed the initiative.

Brown University President Christina Paxson wrote to her community that she was preparing a detailed response, while UVA’s leadership noted that “it would be difficult for the University to agree to certain provisions” in the proposal.

White House defends its plan

Responding to criticism, White House spokesperson Liz Huston said the plan would ensure that universities remain accountable to taxpayers.

“Any university that refuses this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform higher education isn't serving its students or their parents; they're bowing to radical, left-wing bureaucrats,” Huston said.

The US Department of Education has not yet issued an official comment on the controversy.

The move is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to use financial leverage to influence university policies.

In recent years, the administration has attempted to withhold funds from institutions over campus protests, diversity programs, and environmental initiatives. Some of these actions, including threats to cut funding to Harvard University, have faced legal challenges.