Newsom gives ultimatum to CA universities: Don’t bend the knee to Trump

[Jessica_Rose]

Newsom gives ultimatum to California universities: Don't bend the knee to Trump

https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/10/newsom-gives-ultimatum-to-california-universities-dont-bend-the-knee-to/ 🔗

Greg Owen (3 Oct 2025)

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) fought fire with fire Thursday when he issued a ferocious warning to his state's colleges and universities, warning them not to accept the terms of a so-called "compact" with the Trump administration or risk losing billions in state funding.

In his all-caps ultimatum (which has been converted to lower-case for this publication), Newsom wrote, "If any California university signs this radical agreement, they'll lose billions in state funding — including Cal grants — instantly. California will not bankroll schools that sell out their students, professors, researchers, and surrender academic freedom."

Newsom's warning followed news of a letter sent to nine colleges and universities this week offering them "priority" federal funding if they agreed to institute a multi-point agenda reflecting the Trump administration's priorities to eradicate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), erase trans identity, and muzzle academic freedom in higher education.

The so-called "Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education" extortion scheme was pitched to nine colleges and universities, including Vanderbilt University, the University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth College, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Texas, the University of Arizona, Brown University, the University of Virginia, and the University of Southern California, in Newsom's home state.