US universities nervously await second Donald Trump term

US universities were braced for an uncomfortable four years ahead after Donald Trump was swept back to the White House in a historic presidential election.

Although the race was yet to be officially called at the time of writing, the Republican was on course to defeat Kamala Harris, his Democratic rival. Mr Trump has declared victory, telling crowds at his campaign headquarters in Florida that US voters had given him “an unprecedented and powerful mandate”.

Speaking to Times Higher Education before election day, one university leader had described the prospect of a second Trump term as “horrific for higher education”.

It was unclear how supportive Mr Trump is of the controversial Project 2025 policy playbook crafted by his allies at a conservative thinktank, which advocates the shuttering of the Department of Education, but Patricia McGuire, president of Trinity Washington University, said it “spells out a clear desire to debilitate if not demolish many universities”.

She predicted “a ratcheting-up of public show trials of presidents and trustees even more egregious than the hearing that brought down president [Claudine] Gay of Harvard” amid campus protests of over Israel’s war in Gaza, plus an emboldening of politicians in states such as Florida and Texas, who have pushed restrictions on academic freedom, bans on diversity initiatives and reviews of curricula.

Student voters had been tipped to play a key role in any success for Ms Harris but enthusiasm for the serving vice-president may have been tempered by continuing anger over the Gaza conflict.

As results filtered in, the mood soon soured at Ms Harris’ election night watch party, being held at her alma mater, Howard University in Washington DC.

Ravi Perry, a political science professor, told Inside Higher Ed that “higher ed hangs in the balance”, but that the community at Howard – a historically black institution – would confront the future together.

“Whether or not Harris wins, Howard is resilient,” Professor Perry said. “Howard is where black legends of all kinds have come…[The] names are endless. Kamala Harris is one of those legendary names. The campus will go on with our heads held high.”

Universities around the globe will have been watching the election results closely, with one eye on the possible implications for international student flows, which the US fell behind on during Mr Trump’s first term between 2016 and 2020.

Mr Trump’s return to power could also bring greater scrutiny of ethnic Chinese scientists and research ties with the Asian superpower, a key focus of Republicans during his first term.

chris.havergal@timeshighereducation.com