A new report has uncovered a massive surge in foreign donations to American universities during the Biden administration, with countries like China and Qatar dramatically increasing their financial influence over U.S. higher education.
According to findings from the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI), foreign funding to American colleges and universities during the Biden years equaled the total amount received over the previous four decades combined. The report describes this flood of foreign cash as a national security crisis, warning that it poses serious risks to U.S. sovereignty, research integrity, and the independence of American academic institutions.
Joel Finkelstein, NCRI’s co-founder, emphasized the threat, stating that unchecked foreign donations allow hostile nations to quietly shape the research agendas, hiring practices, and even public messaging of major universities. Analysts have pointed to large donations originating from China, Qatar, and other authoritarian regimes as a clear attempt to buy influence on American soil.
In response to these alarming developments, the Trump administration has moved aggressively to restore transparency and accountability. President Trump signed a new executive order mandating full public disclosure of all foreign funding received by U.S. universities, reversing previous loopholes that had allowed institutions to hide the scale and source of outside money.
The Department of Education has also launched new investigations into prominent universities, including the University of California, Berkeley, over accusations of failing to report millions of dollars in foreign funding—particularly from Chinese entities. These investigations aim to uncover hidden financial ties that may have compromised academic independence or national security.
Under the Trump administration’s new guidelines, universities must fully disclose any gifts, contracts, or funding arrangements with foreign sources, including detailed reporting on the nature and purpose of the contributions. Failure to comply could result in serious penalties, including the loss of federal funding.
This crackdown on foreign influence in higher education underscores the administration’s broader commitment to protecting American institutions from external manipulation. Trump officials have warned that unless strict controls are implemented, adversarial nations will continue using academic partnerships as a backdoor to gather intelligence, influence public opinion, and steal cutting-edge research critical to U.S. innovation and defense.
The revelations about foreign funding are the latest example of how the Biden administration’s weak oversight has left key sectors vulnerable to foreign exploitation. By contrast, President Trump’s policies are restoring transparency, strengthening national security, and putting America’s interests first.