PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: Nearly all members of the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board that manages the Fulbright Program resigned, citing alleged interference by the Trump administration in the selection process.
👥 Who’s Involved: Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board members, the Trump administration, and Carmen Estrada-Schaye, the sole remaining board member.
📍 Where & When: United States, resignations announced Wednesday.
💬 Key Quote: “To continue to serve after the Administration has consistently ignored the Board’s request that they follow the law would risk legitimizing actions we believe are unlawful and damage the integrity of this storied program and America’s credibility abroad,” the resigning board members stated.
⚠️ Impact: The administration says the resigning board members were partisan Biden-era appointees seeking to undermine President Donald J. Trump.
IN FULL:
Nearly all members of the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board overseeing the Fulbright scholarship program have stepped down, claiming the Trump administration interfered with the selection process for award recipients. The resignations, announced Wednesday, leave Carmen Estrada-Schaye as the sole remaining board member, who stated, “The president of the United States appointed me and I intend to fill out my term.”
The Fulbright program, established nearly 80 years ago, facilitates international exchanges and diplomacy, awarding approximately 9,000 scholarships annually to students, scholars, and professionals. However, there are concerns in the administration that beneficiaries often have a left-wing, activist bent, leading to increased oversight. Resigning board members allege the administration overstepped its authority by canceling awards for individuals already selected and subjecting 1,200 foreign recipients to an additional review process.
In their statement, the board members argued that these actions undermine the program’s supposedly merit-based selection process and violate its founding principles. “To continue to serve after the Administration has consistently ignored the Board’s request that they follow the law would risk legitimizing actions we believe are unlawful and damage the integrity of this storied program and America’s credibility abroad,” they wrote.
The State Department, which oversees Fulbright, dismissed the claims, asserting that the board members were partisan appointees from the Biden government and accusing them of attempting to undermine President Trump. A department spokesman stated, “The claim that the Fulbright Hayes Act affords exclusive and final say over Fulbright Applications to the Fulbright board is false.”
The resignations come amid broader scrutiny of foreign students under the Trump administration, which has expanded visa restrictions, increased social media vetting, and pushed reforms at institutions like Harvard.
.jpg){kind=link}
