Trump’s “Dumbing Down” of America

Philip Kotler

Republicans, Donald Trump, and the MAGA people are doing everything they can to make Americans dumber. Consider the following:

1. Donald Trump accused Columbia, Harvard, Northwestern, Cornell and other major universities of antisemitism and/or “wokeness”. He insists that these universities cut down on many of their scientific research projects. He is cancelling funding that was promised by Congress when these projects were started.

2. The Trump administration is reducing funding for community colleges. This is strange because community colleges train working class people in highly valued work skills such as plumbing, carpentry, electrical work, social services and also in behavioral science and cultural appreciation.

3. The Trump administration is discouraging bright young foreign students from other countries to apply to our universities and making it harder for current foreign students to feel secure.

4. America’s K1–12 system is performing poorly and not receiving new money to improve our K1–12 system.

5. Many countries are training their students better in mathematics and sciences than the U.S. is doing.

6. The Trump administration is discouraging public schools from presenting accurate U.S. history about slavery and civil rights and even endorsing the banning of books.

Let us examine these trends and ask what offsetting events and forces can stop or slow down the dumbing of America.

1. The Attack on America’s Major Universities

Donald Trump has targeted major universities for alleged misdoings including antisemitism, civil-rights violations, discrimination, DEI programs and “wokeness”.

The Trump administration accused Harvard, Columbia, GWU, UCLA, and others of failing to address antisemitism, especially around pro‑Palestinian protests and perceived hostility toward Jewish and Israeli students.

Another Trump accusation is racial bias in admissions, and support for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives that the administration claims disadvantages white and Asian American students.

Trump’s team framed these universities as havens of liberal ideology hostile to conservative values and sought to root out what they labeled “woke” curricula and campus culture.

The Trump administration imposed several types of penalties on universities.

1. Freezing or Cutting Billions in Federal Research Funding. Harvard saw $2.3 billion in federal research funds frozen after refusing to comply with administration demands. Columbia had $400 million in federal grants canceled; Cornell ($1 billion frozen); Northwestern ($790 million); UPenn ($175 million); Brown ($510 million), and Princeton also had funding paused.

2. Threats to Tax-Exempt Status & International Student Enrollment. Trump told the IRS to revoke Harvard’s tax‑exempt status. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) threatened to bar enrolling international students.

3. Settlements — Forced Payments. Columbia agreed to pay $221 to unfreeze its funding and agreed to suppress DEI programs. Harvard is in near–agreement on a $500 million settlement to restore access to research funding.

4. Suspended Grants and Research Disruption. The Trump administration terminated over 1,600 National Science Foundation grants. UCLA had $324 million in federal funding suspended.

5. Cutbacks in National Science Agencies. The administration proposed massive budget cuts in its FY2026 plan anywhere from 26% to 55% from agencies such as NIH, NSF, NASA, CDC, and NOAA. These cuts would threaten a wide range of scientific research areas, including climate science, health, vaccines, and more.

6. Disruptions at NIH and NSF. The National Institute of Health suspended grant reviews, capped indirect cost recovery to 15% and laid off many staff, leading to research labs cutting projects, graduate admissions, and staff hiring. The National Science Foundation paused grant payouts, review panels, and laid off 10–50% of its staff through early 2025.

7. Data Purges. Over 8,000 webpages, 3,000 datasets, and even books and library resources were removed or suppressed, particularly those related to DEI, race, gender, and climate.

Overall, many scientific projects on heart health, dementia, opioid addiction, and radiation damage were halted or delayed. All this has disrupted critical scientific research, undermined academic freedom, and created legal confrontations.

2. The Attack on Community Colleges

Here the picture is more mixed. Many community colleges have not faced as severe budget blowback as four-year institutions. This is partly due to community colleges’ reliance on state and local funding and their long-standing bipartisan support.

However, they are not immune. The Trump administration’s moves to curtail DEI funding have put certain programs at risk, potentially forcing cuts in areas like culturally responsive teaching, support for underrepresented students, and faculty development.

Community colleges’ funding has been somewhat reduced as a result of broader federal shifts. Some community colleges have lost federal grants. The administration’s reduction of some key support programs has hurt disadvantaged students. Tribal Colleges often fall under the broader “community college” umbrella — face devastating cuts.

Community colleges have been the nation’s hope for getting more working-class citizens to seek new skills and higher education. Any financial burdens put on community colleges sets back working-class advancement.

3. Discouragement of Foreign Students from Coming to the U.S. for their Education

The Trump administration has discouraged foreign students from coming to the U.S. and made it harder for those already studying to continue feeling secure.

In late May 2025, U.S. embassies and consulates halted scheduling interviews for student visa applicants. The State Department directed more comprehensive scrutiny of applicants’ online profiles, creating delays and deterring enrollment. On June 4, 2025, the White House issued a proclamation suspending entry of foreign nationals seeking to study at Harvard — ostensibly for national security reasons. The administration-imposed travel bans and visa restrictions that affected student applicants from several countries, notably China, slowing or blocking their entry.

In addition to reducing the entry of new foreign students, the Trump administration placed obstacles on current students already in the U.S. The administration revoked thousands of visas in spring 2025 — over 1,600 revoked and more than 4,700 statuses canceled, many linked to pro-Palestinian activism on campuses. The administration seeks to identify and punish foreign students deemed to support terrorism or antisemitism. In May 2025, Secretary of State Marco Rubio vowed to “aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students,” particularly those connected to the Communist Party or studying in sensitive areas. Opinion articles describe international students experiencing widespread fear and insecurity. Anxiety stemmed from threats of deportation, ideological targeting, and minimal institutional support.

Yet international students contribute significantly to college budgets and U.S. innovation. Analysts warn these policies could cost the economy tens of billions of dollars and undermine colleges and universities reliant on full-paying foreign students. Critics argue that these actions are eroding U.S. leadership in global education while fostering gains for rival nations like China, where universities have climbed in global rankings.

4. Problems with the Quality of K1-K12 Education in the U.S.

The performance of American students shows signs of struggle and yet some pockets of progress. Learning setbacks remain significant. The 2025 UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report notes that nearly one-third of eighth graders in the U.S. are reading below basic proficiency, and math scores are stagnant — highlighting a deepening learning crisis. The learning deficit was partly caused by the Covid Pandemic where U.S. students fell behind roughly half a grade level in reading and math since the pandemic.

Yet, some geographical areas show improvements. Compton, CA, and Washington D.C. have used intensive tutoring, summer programs, and data-driven strategies to boost performance. Teachers and educational specialists are calling for a return to basics. In states like Louisiana, traditional teaching methods — like phonics-based reading instruction and heightened accountability — are leading to measurable gains. Areas with intensive interventions saw success but sustaining them is uncertain as pandemic relief funds have ended.

The overall national trend remains troubling: many students are falling short on foundational skills, but targeted, well-funded interventions in certain districts show promise.

Although federal funding has been rising, federal funding remains unpredictable. In Oregon, even as per-student funding nearly doubled over two decades, much of the increase went to retirement and administrative costs — not instruction. Recent funding increases are often tied to specific, temporary programs or mandates.

5. Which Countries are Training their Students Better in Mathematics and Sciences than in the U.S?

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) provides a worldwide study that assesses the performance of 15-year-old students in mathematics, science and reading every 3 years. The PISA 2022 study reported that the U.S. average score was 465, slightly below the OECD average of 472. Countries outperforming the U.S. include Singapore, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan), Republic of Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Estonia — all scored higher on average.

In science, U.S. average score was 499, whereas the OECD average is 485 — so the U.S. is above average in science. In mathematics, among top performers (Level 5/6), over 85% of students in Singapore, Macao, Japan, Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei, and Estonia reached those high levels — far above the U.S.’s ~7%.

In short, top-performing education systems in East Asia (notably Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong) consistently deliver stronger student outcomes in math and science than the U.S.

6. The Trump Administration is discouraging public schools from presenting accurate U.S. history about slavery and civil rights and even endorsing the banning of books.

The Trump administration took several steps that critics argue discouraged the teaching of accurate U.S. history — particularly regarding slavery, racism, and civil rights. The administration denounced the 1619 Project, a Pulitzer Prize–winning initiative by The New York Times that reframed U.S. history around the central role of slavery. In September 2020, Trump announced the creation of the “1776 Commission” to promote what he called “patriotic education,” portraying U.S. history in more positive terms. Critics said this effort downplayed systemic racism and sought to sanitize the history of slavery and segregation. Trump suggested that schools adopting the 1619 Project could risk losing federal funding. This was seen as an attempt to pressure schools away from teaching perspectives on slavery and racism that conflicted with his administration’s preferred narrative.

Regarding book bans, they were largely enacted at the state and local level. Yet Trump and his allies consistently endorsed efforts to remove materials considered “un-American” or “divisive.” This included restricting books dealing with race, gender, and LGBTQ+ issues. Trump’s rhetoric reinforced conservative-led pushes across states to ban or limit books in school libraries and curricula. The administration encouraged a political climate where schools and educators felt pressure to soften or omit those topics. This undermined efforts to help students understand both the injustices of the past and their ongoing legacies today.

These actions reflect a broader cultural and political battle over how American history is taught. Supporters of the Trump approach argued that students should learn a more “patriotic” narrative, emphasizing the nation’s achievements. Critics countered that sanitizing slavery, racism, and civil rights struggles risks distorting reality, leaving students less equipped to confront present-day inequalities. In effect, discouraging honest history instruction and endorsing book bans threatens both academic freedom and democratic civic education.

1.Top of Form

Conclusions

Trump, in his second Presidential term, undertook a number of polices calculated to reduce the quality of America’s education and intelligence. He intervened in college and university affairs and cut many federal grants that would advance America’s standing in science and health. He is trying to impose conservative values in the halls of Ivy to repress liberal thinking and values. He is reducing the number of accepted foreign students, forcing many to get their education elsewhere. Instead of trying to improve K1-K12 education, he has called for the termination of the government’s Education Department. He wants to eliminate the reading of literature on slavery, the civil war, civil rights, and on minorities such as lesbians, gays, bipolars, queers and trans.

All of these steps will put America further behind students in other countries who are increasing their excellence in science and math. Our past world leadership in innovation, business, health, science and humanity is doomed to vanish as other countries move ahead. Trump’s interest in squeezing all budgets for the sake of cutting the taxes of the rich is a stab into the heart of America’s greatness.

rump’s “Dumbing Down” of America

Philip Kotler

Republicans, Donald Trump, and the MAGA people are doing everything they can to make Americans dumber. Consider the following:

1. Donald Trump accused Columbia, Harvard, Northwestern, Cornell and other major universities of antisemitism and/or “wokeness”. He insists that these universities cut down on many of their scientific research projects. He is cancelling funding that was promised by Congress when these projects were started.

2. The Trump administration is reducing funding for community colleges. This is strange because community colleges train working class people in highly valued work skills such as plumbing, carpentry, electrical work, social services and also in behavioral science and cultural appreciation.

3. The Trump administration is discouraging bright young foreign students from other countries to apply to our universities and making it harder for current foreign students to feel secure.

4. America’s K1–12 system is performing poorly and not receiving new money to improve our K1–12 system.

5. Many countries are training their students better in mathematics and sciences than the U.S. is doing.

6. The Trump administration is discouraging public schools from presenting accurate U.S. history about slavery and civil rights and even endorsing the banning of books.

Let us examine these trends and ask what offsetting events and forces can stop or slow down the dumbing of America.

1. The Attack on America’s Major Universities

Donald Trump has targeted major universities for alleged misdoings including antisemitism, civil-rights violations, discrimination, DEI programs and “wokeness”.

The Trump administration accused Harvard, Columbia, GWU, UCLA, and others of failing to address antisemitism, especially around pro‑Palestinian protests and perceived hostility toward Jewish and Israeli students.

Another Trump accusation is racial bias in admissions, and support for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives that the administration claims disadvantages white and Asian American students.

Trump’s team framed these universities as havens of liberal ideology hostile to conservative values and sought to root out what they labeled “woke” curricula and campus culture.

The Trump administration imposed several types of penalties on universities.

1. Freezing or Cutting Billions in Federal Research Funding. Harvard saw $2.3 billion in federal research funds frozen after refusing to comply with administration demands. Columbia had $400 million in federal grants canceled; Cornell ($1 billion frozen); Northwestern ($790 million); UPenn ($175 million); Brown ($510 million), and Princeton also had funding paused.

2. Threats to Tax-Exempt Status & International Student Enrollment. Trump told the IRS to revoke Harvard’s tax‑exempt status. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) threatened to bar enrolling international students.

3. Settlements — Forced Payments. Columbia agreed to pay $221 to unfreeze its funding and agreed to suppress DEI programs. Harvard is in near–agreement on a $500 million settlement to restore access to research funding.

4. Suspended Grants and Research Disruption. The Trump administration terminated over 1,600 National Science Foundation grants. UCLA had $324 million in federal funding suspended.

5. Cutbacks in National Science Agencies. The administration proposed massive budget cuts in its FY2026 plan anywhere from 26% to 55% from agencies such as NIH, NSF, NASA, CDC, and NOAA. These cuts would threaten a wide range of scientific research areas, including climate science, health, vaccines, and more.

6. Disruptions at NIH and NSF. The National Institute of Health suspended grant reviews, capped indirect cost recovery to 15% and laid off many staff, leading to research labs cutting projects, graduate admissions, and staff hiring. The National Science Foundation paused grant payouts, review panels, and laid off 10–50% of its staff through early 2025.

7. Data Purges. Over 8,000 webpages, 3,000 datasets, and even books and library resources were removed or suppressed, particularly those related to DEI, race, gender, and climate.

Overall, many scientific projects on heart health, dementia, opioid addiction, and radiation damage were halted or delayed. All this has disrupted critical scientific research, undermined academic freedom, and created legal confrontations.

2. The Attack on Community Colleges

Here the picture is more mixed. Many community colleges have not faced as severe budget blowback as four-year institutions. This is partly due to community colleges’ reliance on state and local funding and their long-standing bipartisan support.

However, they are not immune. The Trump administration’s moves to curtail DEI funding have put certain programs at risk, potentially forcing cuts in areas like culturally responsive teaching, support for underrepresented students, and faculty development.

Community colleges’ funding has been somewhat reduced as a result of broader federal shifts. Some community colleges have lost federal grants. The administration’s reduction of some key support programs has hurt disadvantaged students. Tribal Colleges often fall under the broader “community college” umbrella — face devastating cuts.

Community colleges have been the nation’s hope for getting more working-class citizens to seek new skills and higher education. Any financial burdens put on community colleges sets back working-class advancement.

3. Discouragement of Foreign Students from Coming to the U.S. for their Education

The Trump administration has discouraged foreign students from coming to the U.S. and made it harder for those already studying to continue feeling secure.

In late May 2025, U.S. embassies and consulates halted scheduling interviews for student visa applicants. The State Department directed more comprehensive scrutiny of applicants’ online profiles, creating delays and deterring enrollment. On June 4, 2025, the White House issued a proclamation suspending entry of foreign nationals seeking to study at Harvard — ostensibly for national security reasons. The administration-imposed travel bans and visa restrictions that affected student applicants from several countries, notably China, slowing or blocking their entry.

In addition to reducing the entry of new foreign students, the Trump administration placed obstacles on current students already in the U.S. The administration revoked thousands of visas in spring 2025 — over 1,600 revoked and more than 4,700 statuses canceled, many linked to pro-Palestinian activism on campuses. The administration seeks to identify and punish foreign students deemed to support terrorism or antisemitism. In May 2025, Secretary of State Marco Rubio vowed to “aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students,” particularly those connected to the Communist Party or studying in sensitive areas. Opinion articles describe international students experiencing widespread fear and insecurity. Anxiety stemmed from threats of deportation, ideological targeting, and minimal institutional support.

Yet international students contribute significantly to college budgets and U.S. innovation. Analysts warn these policies could cost the economy tens of billions of dollars and undermine colleges and universities reliant on full-paying foreign students. Critics argue that these actions are eroding U.S. leadership in global education while fostering gains for rival nations like China, where universities have climbed in global rankings.

4. Problems with the Quality of K1-K12 Education in the U.S.

The performance of American students shows signs of struggle and yet some pockets of progress. Learning setbacks remain significant. The 2025 UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report notes that nearly one-third of eighth graders in the U.S. are reading below basic proficiency, and math scores are stagnant — highlighting a deepening learning crisis. The learning deficit was partly caused by the Covid Pandemic where U.S. students fell behind roughly half a grade level in reading and math since the pandemic.

Yet, some geographical areas show improvements. Compton, CA, and Washington D.C. have used intensive tutoring, summer programs, and data-driven strategies to boost performance. Teachers and educational specialists are calling for a return to basics. In states like Louisiana, traditional teaching methods — like phonics-based reading instruction and heightened accountability — are leading to measurable gains. Areas with intensive interventions saw success but sustaining them is uncertain as pandemic relief funds have ended.

The overall national trend remains troubling: many students are falling short on foundational skills, but targeted, well-funded interventions in certain districts show promise.

Although federal funding has been rising, federal funding remains unpredictable. In Oregon, even as per-student funding nearly doubled over two decades, much of the increase went to retirement and administrative costs — not instruction. Recent funding increases are often tied to specific, temporary programs or mandates.

5. Which Countries are Training their Students Better in Mathematics and Sciences than in the U.S?

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) provides a worldwide study that assesses the performance of 15-year-old students in mathematics, science and reading every 3 years. The PISA 2022 study reported that the U.S. average score was 465, slightly below the OECD average of 472. Countries outperforming the U.S. include Singapore, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan), Republic of Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Estonia — all scored higher on average.

In science, U.S. average score was 499, whereas the OECD average is 485 — so the U.S. is above average in science. In mathematics, among top performers (Level 5/6), over 85% of students in Singapore, Macao, Japan, Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei, and Estonia reached those high levels — far above the U.S.’s ~7%.

In short, top-performing education systems in East Asia (notably Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong) consistently deliver stronger student outcomes in math and science than the U.S.

6. The Trump Administration is discouraging public schools from presenting accurate U.S. history about slavery and civil rights and even endorsing the banning of books.

The Trump administration took several steps that critics argue discouraged the teaching of accurate U.S. history — particularly regarding slavery, racism, and civil rights. The administration denounced the 1619 Project, a Pulitzer Prize–winning initiative by The New York Times that reframed U.S. history around the central role of slavery. In September 2020, Trump announced the creation of the “1776 Commission” to promote what he called “patriotic education,” portraying U.S. history in more positive terms. Critics said this effort downplayed systemic racism and sought to sanitize the history of slavery and segregation. Trump suggested that schools adopting the 1619 Project could risk losing federal funding. This was seen as an attempt to pressure schools away from teaching perspectives on slavery and racism that conflicted with his administration’s preferred narrative.

Regarding book bans, they were largely enacted at the state and local level. Yet Trump and his allies consistently endorsed efforts to remove materials considered “un-American” or “divisive.” This included restricting books dealing with race, gender, and LGBTQ+ issues. Trump’s rhetoric reinforced conservative-led pushes across states to ban or limit books in school libraries and curricula. The administration encouraged a political climate where schools and educators felt pressure to soften or omit those topics. This undermined efforts to help students understand both the injustices of the past and their ongoing legacies today.

These actions reflect a broader cultural and political battle over how American history is taught. Supporters of the Trump approach argued that students should learn a more “patriotic” narrative, emphasizing the nation’s achievements. Critics countered that sanitizing slavery, racism, and civil rights struggles risks distorting reality, leaving students less equipped to confront present-day inequalities. In effect, discouraging honest history instruction and endorsing book bans threatens both academic freedom and democratic civic education.

1.Top of Form

Conclusions

Trump, in his second Presidential term, undertook a number of polices calculated to reduce the quality of America’s education and intelligence. He intervened in college and university affairs and cut many federal grants that would advance America’s standing in science and health. He is trying to impose conservative values in the halls of Ivy to repress liberal thinking and values. He is reducing the number of accepted foreign students, forcing many to get their education elsewhere. Instead of trying to improve K1-K12 education, he has called for the termination of the government’s Education Department. He wants to eliminate the reading of literature on slavery, the civil war, civil rights, and on minorities such as lesbians, gays, bipolars, queers and trans.

All of these steps will put America further behind students in other countries who are increasing their excellence in science and math. Our past world leadership in innovation, business, health, science and humanity is doomed to vanish as other countries move ahead. Trump’s interest in squeezing all budgets for the sake of cutting the taxes of the rich is a stab into the heart of America’s greatness.

rump’s “Dumbing Down” of America

Philip Kotler

Republicans, Donald Trump, and the MAGA people are doing everything they can to make Americans dumber. Consider the following:

1. Donald Trump accused Columbia, Harvard, Northwestern, Cornell and other major universities of antisemitism and/or “wokeness”. He insists that these universities cut down on many of their scientific research projects. He is cancelling funding that was promised by Congress when these projects were started.

2. The Trump administration is reducing funding for community colleges. This is strange because community colleges train working class people in highly valued work skills such as plumbing, carpentry, electrical work, social services and also in behavioral science and cultural appreciation.

3. The Trump administration is discouraging bright young foreign students from other countries to apply to our universities and making it harder for current foreign students to feel secure.

4. America’s K1–12 system is performing poorly and not receiving new money to improve our K1–12 system.

5. Many countries are training their students better in mathematics and sciences than the U.S. is doing.

6. The Trump administration is discouraging public schools from presenting accurate U.S. history about slavery and civil rights and even endorsing the banning of books.

Let us examine these trends and ask what offsetting events and forces can stop or slow down the dumbing of America.

1. The Attack on America’s Major Universities

Donald Trump has targeted major universities for alleged misdoings including antisemitism, civil-rights violations, discrimination, DEI programs and “wokeness”.

The Trump administration accused Harvard, Columbia, GWU, UCLA, and others of failing to address antisemitism, especially around pro‑Palestinian protests and perceived hostility toward Jewish and Israeli students.

Another Trump accusation is racial bias in admissions, and support for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives that the administration claims disadvantages white and Asian American students.

Trump’s team framed these universities as havens of liberal ideology hostile to conservative values and sought to root out what they labeled “woke” curricula and campus culture.

The Trump administration imposed several types of penalties on universities.

1. Freezing or Cutting Billions in Federal Research Funding. Harvard saw $2.3 billion in federal research funds frozen after refusing to comply with administration demands. Columbia had $400 million in federal grants canceled; Cornell ($1 billion frozen); Northwestern ($790 million); UPenn ($175 million); Brown ($510 million), and Princeton also had funding paused.

2. Threats to Tax-Exempt Status & International Student Enrollment. Trump told the IRS to revoke Harvard’s tax‑exempt status. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) threatened to bar enrolling international students.

3. Settlements — Forced Payments. Columbia agreed to pay $221 to unfreeze its funding and agreed to suppress DEI programs. Harvard is in near–agreement on a $500 million settlement to restore access to research funding.

4. Suspended Grants and Research Disruption. The Trump administration terminated over 1,600 National Science Foundation grants. UCLA had $324 million in federal funding suspended.

5. Cutbacks in National Science Agencies. The administration proposed massive budget cuts in its FY2026 plan anywhere from 26% to 55% from agencies such as NIH, NSF, NASA, CDC, and NOAA. These cuts would threaten a wide range of scientific research areas, including climate science, health, vaccines, and more.

6. Disruptions at NIH and NSF. The National Institute of Health suspended grant reviews, capped indirect cost recovery to 15% and laid off many staff, leading to research labs cutting projects, graduate admissions, and staff hiring. The National Science Foundation paused grant payouts, review panels, and laid off 10–50% of its staff through early 2025.

7. Data Purges. Over 8,000 webpages, 3,000 datasets, and even books and library resources were removed or suppressed, particularly those related to DEI, race, gender, and climate.

Overall, many scientific projects on heart health, dementia, opioid addiction, and radiation damage were halted or delayed. All this has disrupted critical scientific research, undermined academic freedom, and created legal confrontations.

2. The Attack on Community Colleges

Here the picture is more mixed. Many community colleges have not faced as severe budget blowback as four-year institutions. This is partly due to community colleges’ reliance on state and local funding and their long-standing bipartisan support.

However, they are not immune. The Trump administration’s moves to curtail DEI funding have put certain programs at risk, potentially forcing cuts in areas like culturally responsive teaching, support for underrepresented students, and faculty development.

Community colleges’ funding has been somewhat reduced as a result of broader federal shifts. Some community colleges have lost federal grants. The administration’s reduction of some key support programs has hurt disadvantaged students. Tribal Colleges often fall under the broader “community college” umbrella — face devastating cuts.

Community colleges have been the nation’s hope for getting more working-class citizens to seek new skills and higher education. Any financial burdens put on community colleges sets back working-class advancement.

3. Discouragement of Foreign Students from Coming to the U.S. for their Education

The Trump administration has discouraged foreign students from coming to the U.S. and made it harder for those already studying to continue feeling secure.

In late May 2025, U.S. embassies and consulates halted scheduling interviews for student visa applicants. The State Department directed more comprehensive scrutiny of applicants’ online profiles, creating delays and deterring enrollment. On June 4, 2025, the White House issued a proclamation suspending entry of foreign nationals seeking to study at Harvard — ostensibly for national security reasons. The administration-imposed travel bans and visa restrictions that affected student applicants from several countries, notably China, slowing or blocking their entry.

In addition to reducing the entry of new foreign students, the Trump administration placed obstacles on current students already in the U.S. The administration revoked thousands of visas in spring 2025 — over 1,600 revoked and more than 4,700 statuses canceled, many linked to pro-Palestinian activism on campuses. The administration seeks to identify and punish foreign students deemed to support terrorism or antisemitism. In May 2025, Secretary of State Marco Rubio vowed to “aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students,” particularly those connected to the Communist Party or studying in sensitive areas. Opinion articles describe international students experiencing widespread fear and insecurity. Anxiety stemmed from threats of deportation, ideological targeting, and minimal institutional support.

Yet international students contribute significantly to college budgets and U.S. innovation. Analysts warn these policies could cost the economy tens of billions of dollars and undermine colleges and universities reliant on full-paying foreign students. Critics argue that these actions are eroding U.S. leadership in global education while fostering gains for rival nations like China, where universities have climbed in global rankings.

4. Problems with the Quality of K1-K12 Education in the U.S.

The performance of American students shows signs of struggle and yet some pockets of progress. Learning setbacks remain significant. The 2025 UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report notes that nearly one-third of eighth graders in the U.S. are reading below basic proficiency, and math scores are stagnant — highlighting a deepening learning crisis. The learning deficit was partly caused by the Covid Pandemic where U.S. students fell behind roughly half a grade level in reading and math since the pandemic.

Yet, some geographical areas show improvements. Compton, CA, and Washington D.C. have used intensive tutoring, summer programs, and data-driven strategies to boost performance. Teachers and educational specialists are calling for a return to basics. In states like Louisiana, traditional teaching methods — like phonics-based reading instruction and heightened accountability — are leading to measurable gains. Areas with intensive interventions saw success but sustaining them is uncertain as pandemic relief funds have ended.

The overall national trend remains troubling: many students are falling short on foundational skills, but targeted, well-funded interventions in certain districts show promise.

Although federal funding has been rising, federal funding remains unpredictable. In Oregon, even as per-student funding nearly doubled over two decades, much of the increase went to retirement and administrative costs — not instruction. Recent funding increases are often tied to specific, temporary programs or mandates.

5. Which Countries are Training their Students Better in Mathematics and Sciences than in the U.S?

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) provides a worldwide study that assesses the performance of 15-year-old students in mathematics, science and reading every 3 years. The PISA 2022 study reported that the U.S. average score was 465, slightly below the OECD average of 472. Countries outperforming the U.S. include Singapore, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan), Republic of Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Estonia — all scored higher on average.

In science, U.S. average score was 499, whereas the OECD average is 485 — so the U.S. is above average in science. In mathematics, among top performers (Level 5/6), over 85% of students in Singapore, Macao, Japan, Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei, and Estonia reached those high levels — far above the U.S.’s ~7%.

In short, top-performing education systems in East Asia (notably Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong) consistently deliver stronger student outcomes in math and science than the U.S.

6. The Trump Administration is discouraging public schools from presenting accurate U.S. history about slavery and civil rights and even endorsing the banning of books.

The Trump administration took several steps that critics argue discouraged the teaching of accurate U.S. history — particularly regarding slavery, racism, and civil rights. The administration denounced the 1619 Project, a Pulitzer Prize–winning initiative by The New York Times that reframed U.S. history around the central role of slavery. In September 2020, Trump announced the creation of the “1776 Commission” to promote what he called “patriotic education,” portraying U.S. history in more positive terms. Critics said this effort downplayed systemic racism and sought to sanitize the history of slavery and segregation. Trump suggested that schools adopting the 1619 Project could risk losing federal funding. This was seen as an attempt to pressure schools away from teaching perspectives on slavery and racism that conflicted with his administration’s preferred narrative.

Regarding book bans, they were largely enacted at the state and local level. Yet Trump and his allies consistently endorsed efforts to remove materials considered “un-American” or “divisive.” This included restricting books dealing with race, gender, and LGBTQ+ issues. Trump’s rhetoric reinforced conservative-led pushes across states to ban or limit books in school libraries and curricula. The administration encouraged a political climate where schools and educators felt pressure to soften or omit those topics. This undermined efforts to help students understand both the injustices of the past and their ongoing legacies today.

These actions reflect a broader cultural and political battle over how American history is taught. Supporters of the Trump approach argued that students should learn a more “patriotic” narrative, emphasizing the nation’s achievements. Critics countered that sanitizing slavery, racism, and civil rights struggles risks distorting reality, leaving students less equipped to confront present-day inequalities. In effect, discouraging honest history instruction and endorsing book bans threatens both academic freedom and democratic civic education.

Conclusions

Trump, in his second Presidential term, undertook a number of polices calculated to reduce the quality of America’s education and intelligence. He intervened in college and university affairs and cut many federal grants that would advance America’s standing in science and health. He is trying to impose conservative values in the halls of Ivy to repress liberal thinking and values. He is reducing the number of accepted foreign students, forcing many to get their education elsewhere. Instead of trying to improve K1-K12 education, he has called for the termination of the government’s Education Department. He wants to eliminate the reading of literature on slavery, the civil war, civil rights, and on minorities such as lesbians, gays, bipolars, queers and trans.

All of these steps will put America further behind students in other countries who are increasing their excellence in science and math. Our past world leadership in innovation, business, health, science and humanity is doomed to vanish as other countries move ahead. Trump’s interest in squeezing all budgets for the sake of cutting the taxes of the rich is a stab into the heart of America’s greatness.

rump’s “Dumbing Down” of America

Philip Kotler

Republicans, Donald Trump, and the MAGA people are doing everything they can to make Americans dumber. Consider the following:

1. Donald Trump accused Columbia, Harvard, Northwestern, Cornell and other major universities of antisemitism and/or “wokeness”. He insists that these universities cut down on many of their scientific research projects. He is cancelling funding that was promised by Congress when these projects were started.

2. The Trump administration is reducing funding for community colleges. This is strange because community colleges train working class people in highly valued work skills such as plumbing, carpentry, electrical work, social services and also in behavioral science and cultural appreciation.

3. The Trump administration is discouraging bright young foreign students from other countries to apply to our universities and making it harder for current foreign students to feel secure.

4. America’s K1–12 system is performing poorly and not receiving new money to improve our K1–12 system.

5. Many countries are training their students better in mathematics and sciences than the U.S. is doing.

6. The Trump administration is discouraging public schools from presenting accurate U.S. history about slavery and civil rights and even endorsing the banning of books.

Let us examine these trends and ask what offsetting events and forces can stop or slow down the dumbing of America.

1. The Attack on America’s Major Universities

Donald Trump has targeted major universities for alleged misdoings including antisemitism, civil-rights violations, discrimination, DEI programs and “wokeness”.

The Trump administration accused Harvard, Columbia, GWU, UCLA, and others of failing to address antisemitism, especially around pro‑Palestinian protests and perceived hostility toward Jewish and Israeli students.

Another Trump accusation is racial bias in admissions, and support for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives that the administration claims disadvantages white and Asian American students.

Trump’s team framed these universities as havens of liberal ideology hostile to conservative values and sought to root out what they labeled “woke” curricula and campus culture.

The Trump administration imposed several types of penalties on universities.

1. Freezing or Cutting Billions in Federal Research Funding. Harvard saw $2.3 billion in federal research funds frozen after refusing to comply with administration demands. Columbia had $400 million in federal grants canceled; Cornell ($1 billion frozen); Northwestern ($790 million); UPenn ($175 million); Brown ($510 million), and Princeton also had funding paused.

2. Threats to Tax-Exempt Status & International Student Enrollment. Trump told the IRS to revoke Harvard’s tax‑exempt status. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) threatened to bar enrolling international students.

3. Settlements — Forced Payments. Columbia agreed to pay $221 to unfreeze its funding and agreed to suppress DEI programs. Harvard is in near–agreement on a $500 million settlement to restore access to research funding.

4. Suspended Grants and Research Disruption. The Trump administration terminated over 1,600 National Science Foundation grants. UCLA had $324 million in federal funding suspended.

5. Cutbacks in National Science Agencies. The administration proposed massive budget cuts in its FY2026 plan anywhere from 26% to 55% from agencies such as NIH, NSF, NASA, CDC, and NOAA. These cuts would threaten a wide range of scientific research areas, including climate science, health, vaccines, and more.

6. Disruptions at NIH and NSF. The National Institute of Health suspended grant reviews, capped indirect cost recovery to 15% and laid off many staff, leading to research labs cutting projects, graduate admissions, and staff hiring. The National Science Foundation paused grant payouts, review panels, and laid off 10–50% of its staff through early 2025.

7. Data Purges. Over 8,000 webpages, 3,000 datasets, and even books and library resources were removed or suppressed, particularly those related to DEI, race, gender, and climate.

Overall, many scientific projects on heart health, dementia, opioid addiction, and radiation damage were halted or delayed. All this has disrupted critical scientific research, undermined academic freedom, and created legal confrontations.

2. The Attack on Community Colleges

Here the picture is more mixed. Many community colleges have not faced as severe budget blowback as four-year institutions. This is partly due to community colleges’ reliance on state and local funding and their long-standing bipartisan support.

However, they are not immune. The Trump administration’s moves to curtail DEI funding have put certain programs at risk, potentially forcing cuts in areas like culturally responsive teaching, support for underrepresented students, and faculty development.

Community colleges’ funding has been somewhat reduced as a result of broader federal shifts. Some community colleges have lost federal grants. The administration’s reduction of some key support programs has hurt disadvantaged students. Tribal Colleges often fall under the broader “community college” umbrella — face devastating cuts.

Community colleges have been the nation’s hope for getting more working-class citizens to seek new skills and higher education. Any financial burdens put on community colleges sets back working-class advancement.

3. Discouragement of Foreign Students from Coming to the U.S. for their Education

The Trump administration has discouraged foreign students from coming to the U.S. and made it harder for those already studying to continue feeling secure.

In late May 2025, U.S. embassies and consulates halted scheduling interviews for student visa applicants. The State Department directed more comprehensive scrutiny of applicants’ online profiles, creating delays and deterring enrollment. On June 4, 2025, the White House issued a proclamation suspending entry of foreign nationals seeking to study at Harvard — ostensibly for national security reasons. The administration-imposed travel bans and visa restrictions that affected student applicants from several countries, notably China, slowing or blocking their entry.

In addition to reducing the entry of new foreign students, the Trump administration placed obstacles on current students already in the U.S. The administration revoked thousands of visas in spring 2025 — over 1,600 revoked and more than 4,700 statuses canceled, many linked to pro-Palestinian activism on campuses. The administration seeks to identify and punish foreign students deemed to support terrorism or antisemitism. In May 2025, Secretary of State Marco Rubio vowed to “aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students,” particularly those connected to the Communist Party or studying in sensitive areas. Opinion articles describe international students experiencing widespread fear and insecurity. Anxiety stemmed from threats of deportation, ideological targeting, and minimal institutional support.

Yet international students contribute significantly to college budgets and U.S. innovation. Analysts warn these policies could cost the economy tens of billions of dollars and undermine colleges and universities reliant on full-paying foreign students. Critics argue that these actions are eroding U.S. leadership in global education while fostering gains for rival nations like China, where universities have climbed in global rankings.

4. Problems with the Quality of K1-K12 Education in the U.S.

The performance of American students shows signs of struggle and yet some pockets of progress. Learning setbacks remain significant. The 2025 UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report notes that nearly one-third of eighth graders in the U.S. are reading below basic proficiency, and math scores are stagnant — highlighting a deepening learning crisis. The learning deficit was partly caused by the Covid Pandemic where U.S. students fell behind roughly half a grade level in reading and math since the pandemic.

Yet, some geographical areas show improvements. Compton, CA, and Washington D.C. have used intensive tutoring, summer programs, and data-driven strategies to boost performance. Teachers and educational specialists are calling for a return to basics. In states like Louisiana, traditional teaching methods — like phonics-based reading instruction and heightened accountability — are leading to measurable gains. Areas with intensive interventions saw success but sustaining them is uncertain as pandemic relief funds have ended.

The overall national trend remains troubling: many students are falling short on foundational skills, but targeted, well-funded interventions in certain districts show promise.

Although federal funding has been rising, federal funding remains unpredictable. In Oregon, even as per-student funding nearly doubled over two decades, much of the increase went to retirement and administrative costs — not instruction. Recent funding increases are often tied to specific, temporary programs or mandates.

5. Which Countries are Training their Students Better in Mathematics and Sciences than in the U.S?

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) provides a worldwide study that assesses the performance of 15-year-old students in mathematics, science and reading every 3 years. The PISA 2022 study reported that the U.S. average score was 465, slightly below the OECD average of 472. Countries outperforming the U.S. include Singapore, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan), Republic of Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Estonia — all scored higher on average.

In science, U.S. average score was 499, whereas the OECD average is 485 — so the U.S. is above average in science. In mathematics, among top performers (Level 5/6), over 85% of students in Singapore, Macao, Japan, Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei, and Estonia reached those high levels — far above the U.S.’s ~7%.

In short, top-performing education systems in East Asia (notably Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong) consistently deliver stronger student outcomes in math and science than the U.S.

6. The Trump Administration is discouraging public schools from presenting accurate U.S. history about slavery and civil rights and even endorsing the banning of books.

The Trump administration took several steps that critics argue discouraged the teaching of accurate U.S. history — particularly regarding slavery, racism, and civil rights. The administration denounced the 1619 Project, a Pulitzer Prize–winning initiative by The New York Times that reframed U.S. history around the central role of slavery. In September 2020, Trump announced the creation of the “1776 Commission” to promote what he called “patriotic education,” portraying U.S. history in more positive terms. Critics said this effort downplayed systemic racism and sought to sanitize the history of slavery and segregation. Trump suggested that schools adopting the 1619 Project could risk losing federal funding. This was seen as an attempt to pressure schools away from teaching perspectives on slavery and racism that conflicted with his administration’s preferred narrative.

Regarding book bans, they were largely enacted at the state and local level. Yet Trump and his allies consistently endorsed efforts to remove materials considered “un-American” or “divisive.” This included restricting books dealing with race, gender, and LGBTQ+ issues. Trump’s rhetoric reinforced conservative-led pushes across states to ban or limit books in school libraries and curricula. The administration encouraged a political climate where schools and educators felt pressure to soften or omit those topics. This undermined efforts to help students understand both the injustices of the past and their ongoing legacies today.

These actions reflect a broader cultural and political battle over how American history is taught. Supporters of the Trump approach argued that students should learn a more “patriotic” narrative, emphasizing the nation’s achievements. Critics countered that sanitizing slavery, racism, and civil rights struggles risks distorting reality, leaving students less equipped to confront present-day inequalities. In effect, discouraging honest history instruction and endorsing book bans threatens both academic freedom and democratic civic education.

1.Top of Form

Conclusions

Trump, in his second Presidential term, undertook a number of polices calculated to reduce the quality of America’s education and intelligence. He intervened in college and university affairs and cut many federal grants that would advance America’s standing in science and health. He is trying to impose conservative values in the halls of Ivy to repress liberal thinking and values. He is reducing the number of accepted foreign students, forcing many to get their education elsewhere. Instead of trying to improve K1-K12 education, he has called for the termination of the government’s Education Department. He wants to eliminate the reading of literature on slavery, the civil war, civil rights, and on minorities such as lesbians, gays, bipolars, queers and trans.

All of these steps will put America further behind students in other countries who are increasing their excellence in science and math. Our past world leadership in innovation, business, health, science and humanity is doomed to vanish as other countries move ahead. Trump’s interest in squeezing all budgets for the sake of cutting the taxes of the rich is a stab into the heart of America’s greatness.