The United States has long dominated global higher education, with 72% of the world’s top 25 universities, Fareed Zakaria said in his latest opinion piece in The Washington Post.

However, this competitive advantage is being threatened by the Trump administration’s attacks on colleges, particularly through funding cuts and a crackdown on free speech.

One major financial assault has been reductions in federal research grants, which could result in billions in cuts to critical projects, affecting institutions like Duke University and Johns Hopkins.

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These cuts target overhead costs, which support complex research infrastructure, potentially halting major projects like a $330 million cancer research building at Michigan State University.

Additionally, the administration’s focus on curbing “woke” ideologies on campus has led to the suppression of free speech and academic programs related to diversity and inclusion.

This has mirrored a trend seen in China’s Cultural Revolution, with the U.S. adopting policies that undermine its own educational institutions while China aggressively invests in research and technology to surpass the U.S. in scientific leadership.

In this context, the Trump administration’s approach to higher education could inadvertently contribute to the U.S. losing its global position in science and innovation.

Read more at The Washington Post.