The Art of the Bad Deal
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President Trump has continued to ramp up his attacks on higher education institutions — and demonstrate why efforts to appease authoritarian acts only lead to more abuses of power.

This week, Trump went after Columbia University, despite it having earlier bent to his demands. He threatened to revoke ([link removed]) Columbia’s accreditation, a key certification that legitimizes an educational institution and allows students to receive federal student aid.
* In March, Columbia had adopted controversial policies in response to Trump’s threats of funding cuts. Columbia agreed to overhaul campus protest rules, review admission policies, and appoint a senior vice provost to oversee its Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies Department — a move that alarmed academic freedom advocates and resulted in the resignation of the university’s interim president.


But this acquiescence appears to have done little to assuage Trump’s wrath. The Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights sent a letter to the Middle States Commission on Higher Education — the organization that accredits Columbia — alleging the university violated civil rights laws by ignoring discrimination against Jewish students.
* This mirrors the administration’s attacks on Harvard University: In April, the “Task Force to Combat Antisemitism ([link removed]) ” demanded ([link removed]) that Harvard enact wide-ranging changes, with the university’s refusal leading to multiple rounds of funding cuts and threats to revoke its tax-exempt status.
* At the same time, Trump hasn’t given up efforts to punish Harvard. After a judge blocked the administration’s attempt to revoke the school’s ability to enroll international students, the president on Wednesday announced that he would deny those students visas to come to the U.S. But that too was blocked by a judge ([link removed]) on Thursday.


Still, the renewed aggression against Columbia serves as a reminder that these attacks on civil society ([link removed]) — from higher education to law firms and nonprofit organizations — will not stop with elite universities. Trump has made clear that he plans to use many of these extortion tactics to suppress the work of any organization seen as opposing his anti-democratic agenda.
* American Oversight is investigating and fighting back against Trump’s weaponization of the government against civil society so as to chill dissent and strong-arm institutions into adopting preferred policies by.
* Recently, we sued the Internal Revenue Service, the Treasury, and the Education Department for communications with the White House that could shed light on the attempt to use the agencies against perceived political foes — and help ensure this dangerous abuse of government power does not go unchecked.

Holding DOGE Accountable
With Elon Musk now retreating to his private companies — and his and Trump’s public feud rapidly escalating — our work to quickly gather the facts about the Department of Government Efficiency has taken on new urgency. This week, we asked the court to take action to uncover the truth behind DOGE’s sweeping, shadowy power.
* DOGE has clearly operated with significant independent authority — firing public servants, halting foreign aid, and accessing sensitive government systems — all behind closed doors.
* We filed a motion asking the court to order DOGE to answer a series of targeted questions and produce key documents to determine whether the entity is subject to the Freedom of Information Act. Read more here ([link removed]) about why the question of whether DOGE is an “agency” under FOIA and the Federal Records Act isn’t just a technicality — it has profound implications for the public’s ability to hold it accountable for the unchecked power it has exercised.
* Our case proceeds as the Supreme Court recently granted a stay ([link removed]) in a related FOIA lawsuit brought by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, temporarily blocking an order requiring DOGE to produce records and sit for depositions. We filed an amicus brief ([link removed]) in that case.

The Slippery Slope of Corruption
Pardons for political ([link removed]) allies ([link removed]) , donors ([link removed]) , and Jan. 6 insurrectionists ([link removed]) . A memecoin ([link removed]) that serves as a blatant cash grab. Promoting Tesla from the White House lawn ([link removed]) alongside (now former) ally Elon Musk. Soliciting corporate ([link removed]) donors ([link removed]) and sponsors
([link removed]) in an array of pay-to-play ([link removed]) schemes.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg of Trump’s corrupt abuses of power during his second term. While not yet finalized ([link removed]) , the recent acceptance of a luxury jet from Qatar to be used as Air Force One (before being transferred to his presidential library) encapsulates the blatant disregard for ethics rules that characterized his first term and serves as a warning that he’s become more brazenly shameless in his second.
* The routine corruption that marked his previous administration — from the numerous examples of self-dealing uncovered by American Oversight to his attempt to overturn a free and fair election on Jan. 6 — shows how slippery the slope of corruption is as it bypasses democratic principles. Read more here. ([link removed])

Other Stories We’re Following

Trump Administration Accountability
* Trump taps Palantir to compile data on Americans (New York Times ([link removed]) )
* ‘The intern in charge’: Meet the 22-year-old Trump’s team picked to lead terrorism prevention (ProPublica ([link removed]) )
* Some of Trump’s biggest inaugural donors benefit from early government actions (Wall Street Journal ([link removed]) )
* Trump orders investigation of Biden and his aides (New York Times ([link removed]) )
* Donald Trump's war on gender is also a war on government (New Yorker ([link removed]) )
* The Trump administration is spending $2 million to figure out whether DEI causes plane crashes (Atlantic ([link removed]) )
* Trump administration claims Chinese students ‘exploit’ U.S. universities (Washington Post ([link removed]) )

DOGE
* Trump administration races to fix a big mistake: DOGE fired too many people (Washington Post ([link removed]) )
* Elon Musk is leaving the federal government. What's next for DOGE? (NPR ([link removed]) )
* White House sends Congress request for $9.4 billion in DOGE cuts (The Hill ([link removed]) )
* Inside the AI prompts DOGE used to 'munch' contracts related to veterans' health (ProPublica ([link removed]) )

Federal Agencies
* Trump officials delayed farm trade report over deficit forecast (Politico ([link removed]) )
* U.S. veterans agency orders scientists not to publish in journals without clearance (Guardian ([link removed]) )
* DOJ’s new top voting lawyer worked for leading anti-voting law firm (Democracy Docket ([link removed]) )
* FEMA staff baffled after head said he was unaware of US hurricane season, sources say (Reuters ([link removed]) )

In the States
* Texas agrees to end in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants after DOJ lawsuit filed against the state (CBS News ([link removed]) )
* Failure of Texas proof-of-citizenship law is not the end (Washington Post ([link removed]) )
* California changes high school sports rule after Trump post over trans athlete (Guardian ([link removed]) )
* U.S. Justice Department says Wisconsin Elections Commission isn't following federal law, threatens future funding (WKOW Madison ([link removed]) )

Attacks on Civil Society
* A Stephen Miller staffer and tough talk: Inside Trump’s latest attack on Harvard (New York Times ([link removed]) )
* Universities quietly negotiating with White House aide to try to avoid Harvard’s fate, source says (CNN ([link removed]) )
* Trump’s law firm sanctions, harshly rejected in court, still have impact (Washington Post ([link removed]) )
* The law firms that appeased Trump — and angered their clients (Wall Street Journal ([link removed]) )
* As Trump says he’s stamping out antisemitism, he advances similar tropes (New York Times ([link removed]) )

Civil Rights
* Trump administration rescinds Biden-era guidance requiring hospitals to perform emergency abortions (ABC News ([link removed]) )
* White House to roll out new hiring plans with anti-DEI provisions (Axios ([link removed]) )
* Cadets who met all Air Force Academy graduation standards denied commissions because they’re transgender (Advocate ([link removed]) )

Immigration
* Trump announces travel ban and restrictions on 19 countries set to go into effect Monday (Associated Press ([link removed]) )
* A sweeping new ICE operation shows how Trump's focus on immigration is reshaping federal law enforcement (NBC News ([link removed]) )
* Trump officials crafting rule to prevent asylum-seekers from getting work permits (CBS News ([link removed]) )
* Big plans for workforce expansion at Customs and Border Protection (Federal News Network ([link removed]) )
* Trump officials deported another man despite court order (New York Times ([link removed]) )
* Migrants criminally charged after failing to register with U.S. government (Washington Post ([link removed]) )
* White House pressure for increased immigration arrests strains law enforcement agencies (CNN ([link removed]) )
* ICE quietly scales back rules for courthouse raids (Wired ([link removed]) )
* The private citizens who want to help Trump deport migrants (New Yorker ([link removed]) )
* ‘Remove your name tag:’ Email appears to direct troopers to take off nameplates when working with ICE (WKMG Orlando ([link removed]) )

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