All twelve members of the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board have resigned in response to President Donald Trump’s actions regarding the foreign student system affecting America’s colleges and universities.
“Effective immediately, members of the Congressionally mandated Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board have voted overwhelmingly to resign from their positions, choosing not to endorse actions that they believe are not permissible under the law, compromise U.S. national interests and integrity, and undermine the mission and mandates established by Congress for the Fulbright program nearly 80 years ago,” the letter stated.
The board asserted that it had adhered to legal protocols under both Democratic and Republican administrations.
“Throughout both Democratic and Republican administrations, the Board has adhered to the law, functioning independently in accordance with its statutory responsibilities. Indeed, the Fulbright-Hays Act underscores the program’s commitment to remaining non-political and non-ideological,” the board continued.
Nonetheless, they maintain that the Trump administration has exceeded acceptable limits on this occasion.
“However, the current administration has overstepped its bounds by undermining the authority of the Board and denying Fulbright awards to a significant number of individuals who were chosen for the 2025–2026 academic year.” The board stated, “The administration is currently subjecting an additional 1,200 foreign Fulbright recipients to an unauthorized review process and may reject more.”
The board asserted that the administration’s actions “not only contradict the statute but are fundamentally opposed to the Fulbright mission and the values, including free speech and academic freedom, that Congress outlined in the statute.”
The board asserts that they have consistently brought these matters to attention, yet they have been overlooked.
The board stated, “We have raised these legal issues and our strong objections with senior administration officials on multiple occasions, including in writing.” We earnestly anticipate that Congress, the judiciary, and forthcoming Fulbright Boards will take measures to safeguard against the administration’s attempts to undermine, dismantle, or potentially abolish one of our nation’s most esteemed and beneficial programs. Incorporating political agendas and ideological directives into the Fulbright program undermines the intent and principles of the legislation that Congress thoughtfully enacted nearly eighty years ago.
In the meantime, officials from the Trump administration have highlighted an escalating national security concern that numerous individuals argue the Fulbright program has facilitated for an extended period.
This month, a Chinese national named Chengxuan Han was apprehended while attempting to smuggle biological material into the United States.
“The reported smuggling of biological materials by an individual from a science and technology university in Wuhan, China — intended for use at a University of Michigan laboratory — is indicative of a concerning trend that poses a risk to our security,” stated U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon Jr.
“The FBI maintains a strict stance against violations of federal law and is steadfast in its commitment to safeguarding the American public,” stated Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “The reported smuggling of biological materials by Chengxuan Han poses a significant risk to public safety and national security, and it greatly undermines the integrity of our nation’s research institutions.”
Han was appointed as a visiting scholar at the University of Michigan to contribute to research in one of its laboratories.
As reported by the “Detroit Free Press,” Han dispatched several packages to the United States—one intended for an active lab member, while another was directed to a faculty or staff member at the university.
In a court filing, Han acknowledged the content of her communications.
She stated that it was “nematode growth medium (NGM) in the petri dishes and plasmids in the envelope.”
Last month, the “Stanford Review” revealed an alleged network of Chinese espionage occurring on its campus.
“Transnational repression, $64 million in Chinese funding, and allegations of racial profiling have fostered a widespread culture of silence at Stanford and beyond,” the student paper reported at the time.
