In brief
The Fulbright board, dedicated to international educational exchanges, resigns in protest against political actions that undermine its mission.
The prestigious Fulbright program, known for facilitating global educational opportunities, is in turmoil after its board of directors resigned in protest against alleged political interference by the Trump administration. The resignation comes as the board claims nearly 200 Fulbright scholarships for American professors and researchers were unlawfully canceled by political appointees at the State Department.The board has expressed deep concerns that their independence is being undermined. A draft memo revealed that the board views the decisions to revoke scholarship awards — primarily affecting scholars based on their research topics — as illegal and damaging to U.S. national interests. The scholarships, initially approved after an extensive selection process, were to be communicated to awardees by April, but many received rejection letters instead.In addition, the State Department is reevaluating applications for around 1,200 international scholars who were already endorsed for U.S. programs, raising further alarms about potential biases in the approval process. The board members, including notable leaders like Senator Jeanne Shaheen, emphasized that they refuse to support actions that compromise the integrity and long-standing mission of the Fulbright program, which has been promoting educational exchange for nearly 80 years.
