The Trump Regime is Canceling Higher Education for Supposedly Being Too ‘Woke’

Like black holes, authoritarian rulers engulf, distorting access to information until science, history, civics, and even critical thinking are extinguished. The restriction and censorship of information is unyielding. I think of my former cult, the Moonies, and how as a fanatical true believer, I was not allowed access to newspapers, magazines, television, or radio and was subjected to large doses of Moonie propaganda for over two and half years.

In the news headlines, we are seeking a parallel between authoritarian cult leaders’ tactics and the United States President Donald Trump and his allies like RFK Jr., J.D. Vance, and even Vladimir Putin. Specifically, they are escalating their attacks on higher education, calling for the defunding of universities they deem too “woke,” defunding scientific research by controlling NIH funds, and threatening academic freedom. These actions are not only ideological but aim to impose loyalty tests on individuals and organizations, silence dissenting opinions, and distort scientific facts for their gain.