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Jan 25, 2026

Entire Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board Quits In Protest Of Trump

All twelve members of the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board have resigned in response to actions taken by President Donald Trump regarding the foreign student system affecting America’s colleges and universities.

“Effective immediately, members of the Congressionally mandated Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board have voted overwhelmingly to resign from their positions, choosing not to endorse actions that they believe are not permissible under the law, compromise U.S. national interests and integrity, and undermine the mission and mandates established by Congress for the Fulbright program nearly 80 years ago,” the letter stated.

The board asserted that it had adhered to legal protocols under both Democratic and Republican administrations.

“Throughout both Democratic and Republican administrations, the Board has adhered to the law, functioning independently in accordance with its statutory responsibilities. Indeed, the Fulbright-Hays Act underscores the program’s commitment to remaining non-political and non-ideological,” the board continued.

Nonetheless, they maintain that the Trump administration has exceeded acceptable limits on this occasion.

“However, the current administration has overstepped its bounds by undermining the authority of the Board and denying Fulbright awards to a significant number of individuals who were chosen for the 2025–2026 academic year.” The board stated, “The administration is currently subjecting an additional 1,200 foreign Fulbright recipients to an unauthorized review process and may reject more.”

The board asserted that the administration’s actions “not only contradict the statute but are fundamentally opposed to the Fulbright mission and the values, including free speech and academic freedom, that Congress outlined in the statute.”

The board asserts that they have consistently brought these matters to attention, yet they have been overlooked.

The board stated, “We have raised these legal issues and our strong objections with senior administration officials on multiple occasions, including in writing.” We earnestly anticipate that Congress, the judiciary, and forthcoming Fulbright Boards will take measures to safeguard against the administration’s attempts to undermine, dismantle, or potentially abolish one of our nation’s most esteemed and beneficial programs. Incorporating political agendas and ideological directives into the Fulbright program undermines the intent and principles of the legislation that Congress thoughtfully enacted nearly eighty years ago.

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