• The entire Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board has resigned, alleging political interference from the Trump administration.
• The board accused the administration of unlawfully overruling the approval of scholarships for nearly 200 scholars.
• 1,200 additional international Fulbright recipients are undergoing an unauthorized review process imposed by the administration.
• The actions are seen as a violation of the program's mission and the legislation protecting academic freedom.
• The resignation highlights growing tensions over the integrity of the Fulbright program and its role in US diplomacy.

All 12 members of the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board announced their resignation on Wednesday, citing alleged political interference by President Donald Trump’s administration. The board charged that the administration “usurped the authority of the Board” by denying Fulbright awards to “a substantial number of individuals” selected for the 2025-2026 academic year following a yearlong selection process, thus compromising the integrity of the prestigious program, which is fundamental to U.S. diplomacy and academic exchange, according to Dawn and HuffPost.

The board members expressed concern over the unauthorized review process affecting an additional 1,200 approved foreign Fulbright recipients, potentially leading to further rejections based on administrative overreach. This intervention has been interpreted as a severe violation of the Fulbright mission and statutes governing the program, which was designed to be insulated from political influence, according to Reuters, ABC News, and CBS News.

The previously approved awards encompass disciplines such as biology, engineering, architecture, and agriculture, indicating a diverse impact across fields of study. The resigning members noted that the administration’s actions contradict the core values of the Fulbright program, which are centered around free speech and academic freedom as specified by Congress, according to India Times, India Times, and NPR.

The mass resignation reflects broader concerns about the administration's ongoing crackdown on public institutions and academia, where the Trump administration has reportedly implemented measures to halt new student visas and scrutinize international scholars based on their areas of research and expressed political beliefs. The board members hope that Congress, the courts, and future boards will intervene to defend the integrity of the Fulbright program against what they characterize as detrimental political manipulation, according to The Hill and HuffPost.