White House Tells 9 Universities to Sign Funding Compact or Risk Losing Grants

WASHINGTON — The White House is asking nine major universities to sign a new agreement pledging to uphold the Trump administration's higher education priorities or risk losing preferred access to federal funds, officials confirmed this week.

The initiative, called the Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education, outlines requirements for universities to demonstrate alignment with administration policies in order to secure priority access to grants, contracts, and other benefits.

According to the White House, the compact was signed by May Mailman, White House domestic policy advisor; Linda McMahon, secretary of education; and Vince Haley, deputy assistant to the president for policy.

"The White House is asking nine U.S. universities to sign an agreement pledging to uphold the Trump administration's higher education priorities, or risk losing out on preferred access to federal funding," CBS News reported.

While the administration has not publicly disclosed the full list of universities asked to sign, the compact is being framed as a step to "elevate standards" in higher education. Critics, however, warn that the agreement could blur the line between political priorities and academic independence.

Federal funding is a lifeline for research universities, which receive billions annually from agencies such as the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Health and Human Services. The compact signals a sharper political test for universities seeking federal resources.

University leaders have not yet issued collective statements on whether they will agree to the compact, though conversations are expected in the coming weeks as details emerge.

The move comes amid a series of Trump administration actions reshaping the relationship between higher education and federal policy, including lawsuits, new rules on free speech, and threats to cut funding from institutions seen as out of step with administration priorities.

Whether the compact strengthens universities' access to funding or sparks broader resistance remains to be seen.