The Trump administration’s bold and controversial “compact” for universities is more than just an education policy; it’s a powerful political statement that appears tailor-made for the 2024 election cycle. By taking on what many of his supporters see as bastions of liberal elitism, Trump is igniting a culture war battle that energizes his base and creates a clear wedge issue.
The proposal’s key planks—attacking affirmative action, promoting conservative thought, and criticizing “woke” academic departments—are all popular themes at conservative rallies and in right-wing media. By formalizing these ideas into a policy ultimatum for Ivy League schools, the administration is signaling to its voters that it is actively fighting the cultural battles they care about most.
The intense backlash from academics, Democratic politicians like Gavin Newsom, and “mainstream” media outlets only serves to amplify the political benefit for the administration. Every cry of “authoritarianism” or “attack on free speech” can be framed as evidence of the entrenched liberal establishment’s hysteria and its fear of intellectual diversity. The ensuing debate reinforces the narrative of Trump as a disruptive outsider challenging a corrupt system.
The selection of elite, high-profile universities like MIT, Penn, and Brown is also politically strategic. These names are synonymous with “the elite” in the minds of many voters, making them perfect foils. The administration can position itself as the champion of the common person against these wealthy, out-of-touch institutions.
While the nine universities grapple with the real-world implications of the compact, the proposal is already serving its political purpose. It has shifted the national conversation, created a clear dividing line between the administration and its opponents, and provided a fresh and potent issue for the campaign trail, demonstrating how education policy can be strategically deployed as a tool of electoral politics.
