Entire Fulbright board resigns, citing Trump administration interference

All members of the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board resigned Wednesday, citing alleged political interference by members of the Trump administration.

In a statement posted to Substack, the dozen former board members said they “voted overwhelmingly” to resign “rather than endorse unprecedented actions that we believe are impermissible under the law, compromise U.S. national interests and integrity, and undermine the mission and mandates Congress established for the Fulbright program nearly 80 years ago.”

The prestigious program — which awards a select group of scholars and academics the opportunity to continue research abroad each year — is managed by the State Department, where career officials conduct a yearlong search for applicants, who are ultimately approved by the independent Fulbright board.

But the former board members said the Trump administration “has usurped the authority of the Board” by denying Fulbright scholarships to “a substantial number of individuals” selected for the upcoming academic year.

The former board members also said administration officials are conducting “an unauthorized review process” of an additional 1,200 foreign Fulbright recipients, which, they said, could lead to rejections of more awards.

So, a fully TAX PAYER funded scholarship program, managed (owned by) the State Department does not want the actual Executive (The actual legal authority of the State Department) performing a review (which they claim is illegal because somehow, they are special and above accountability) and providing oversight of those TAX PAYER funded dollars.

In other words, they were massively abusing the system for ideological purposes, and it left any semblance of academic excellence in the garbage can.

They didn’t resign from the State Department though. The Fulbright gig is voluntary and their participation can go on their EERs for promotion points. It’s also an ego booster since they hold a bunch of futures in their hands. They should be fired for this temper tantrum.

Guaranteed that EVERY Fulbright recipient was already a leftist, or if not, was by the time they finished college.

Time to turn off all the indoctrination spigots.

I know a foreign student who got this and she is a big UN supporter.

She also can’t get and keep a job.

I know another person who got it who is the daughter of a Lebanese immigrant. She is smart, but married a German after studying in Germany on this scholarship. She is productive.

Frankly, whatever that “board” has been doing for decades is not necessary.

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