Citations Needed News Brief: As Trump Crushes Academia, the NYT and Atlantic Still Fight 'Woke' Wars from 5 Years Ago
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Feb 18, 2026 Todd Wolfson, AAUP president and labor organizer, and Chenjerai Kumanyika, Peabody-winning podcaster and law professor, discuss attacks on higher education. They explore Trump’s targeting of DEI and research, media and donor influence shaping anti-academic narratives, campus repression around Gaza protests, and strategies—strikes, solidarity, and legal fights—to defend academic independence.
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Coordinated Assault On Higher Education
- The Trump administration launched a multi-pronged assault on higher education targeting DEI, research funding, and institutional autonomy.
- These actions accelerated long-term neoliberal trends and triggered widespread fear among faculty and students.
Grant Scrubbed Over The Word 'Diversity'
- Todd recounts a researcher losing a grant because the word "diversity" appeared in their proposal about bird genomes.
- That example illustrates how ideologically-driven grant scrubbing reached even obscure research areas.
Universities As Targets In Authoritarian Playbooks
- Historical patterns show authoritarian regimes target courts, press, and higher education to consolidate power.
- The current campaign mirrors that pattern by disarming universities seen as independent civic forces.