Donald Trump’s second presidential campaign is amplifying his long-standing disdain for higher education, with plans to dismantle the Department of Education and aggressively target universities. His policy agenda, dubbed Agenda 47, aims to protect students from what he calls the “radical left and Marxist maniacs infecting educational institutions.” This anti-academia stance is a cornerstone of his broader right-wing populist campaign, supported by his running mate, JD Vance, who has openly labeled universities as the enemy.
If Trump wins the presidency in 2024, his administration could abolish the Department of Education, levy fines on universities, and use the funds to create an online institution called the American Academy. His plans also include rolling back diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and replacing college accreditation systems to counter the perceived dominance of liberal ideologies in higher education.
While Trump’s proposals have raised alarm among many academics, not all in higher education oppose his agenda. A significant faction of conservative professors, referred to as “academic Trumpists,” supports Trump and his policies. Among the 198 leading conservative professors studied, 109 have backed Trump, continuing to support him despite controversies surrounding his administration. These professors are predominantly white, male, and tenured, and some, like Marshall DeRosa of Florida Atlantic University, openly relish Trump’s disruptive approach to governance, referring to him as a “wrecking ball.”
Prominent academic Trumpists include Victor Davis Hanson of the Hoover Institution, John Eastman, a former law professor involved in Trump’s legal challenges to the 2020 election results, and Peter Navarro, a former White House advisor. Many of these professors criticize what they see as a stifling liberal culture on campuses, claiming that only Trump can counteract the dominance of identity politics and political correctness in academia.
Trump’s academic supporters are connected to a broader conservative network that includes powerful think tanks like the Heritage Foundation, the Claremont Institute, and the Federalist Society. Some also have ties to smaller neo-Confederate organizations that embrace white nationalism. Despite the controversies surrounding Trump’s presidency and legal troubles, only a handful of these professors have withdrawn their support since 2016.
However, not all conservative academics are aligned with Trump. Prominent scholars like Harvard’s Harvey Mansfield and Princeton’s Robert P. George have publicly opposed him, citing concerns over his character and populist rhetoric. For them, Trump’s brand of right-wing populism, which casts higher education as a bastion of elites, is a key dividing line. These anti-Trump conservatives remain committed to defending the value of higher education, even as political polarization intensifies.
In the face of Trump’s proposed dismantling of higher education institutions, liberal academics are urged to unite with conservative professors who oppose Trump’s populist agenda. Despite vast political differences, these groups share a common interest in preserving higher education, which they recognize as vital for future generations of Americans.
