Overview

• A new AP-NORC poll finds 56% of Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling of higher education, reflecting growing public concern over his administration's approach.
• The Trump administration has frozen over $2.2 billion in federal grants to Harvard University and cut funding to Columbia, Penn, and Cornell, demanding ideological compliance.
• The public views universities as vital to scientific research and innovation, with about six in ten Americans favoring continued federal funding for research initiatives.
• While eight in ten Republicans support Trump’s education policies, they are divided on withholding federal funding, with only half endorsing the measure.
• The rising cost of tuition remains the top concern for most Americans, overshadowing ideological disputes over campus policies and diversity programs.