Schools brace for cuts and investigations as the president-elect and his advisers make them a prime target of their ‘anti-woke’ crusade

Summary

US universities are bracing for funding cuts and investigations as President-elect Trump and his allies target them in their anti-“woke” campaign, using the IHRA definition of antisemitism, which conflates criticism of Israel with antisemitism, to justify crackdowns on pro-Palestine activism.

Measures include threatening federal funding, revoking accreditation, and pressuring institutions to suppress protests.

Critics warn these efforts will chill free speech, stifle academic inquiry, and escalate censorship.

Civil liberties groups and educators vow to resist these attacks on higher education and political expression.