The Trump administration issued updated guidance on the rollout of a new rule that could shape the future of higher education in the United States — leaving critics dismayed about the potential ramifications.
“I’m speechless. My God!” wrote Gabrielle A. Perry, a criminal justice advocate and founder of the Thurman Perry Foundation, in a social media post on X Monday.
The rule would set new standards for federal student loan eligibility: namely, by denying loans to students pursuing degrees that lead to careers that “don’t make enough money,” with programs for art, music and social work being “hit the hardest,” The New Republic reported.
On Friday, the Trump administration updated its implementation guidance for the new policy, reminding approximately 1,550 education institutions that they had not yet submitted data required for the transition to the new rule, known as the Earnings Accountability system.
Former Democratic Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell of Florida warned that the rule’s rollout would set the United States on a “dangerous path,” and one that bore striking similarities to the United States’ supposed adversaries.
“In America, government shouldn’t decide which dreams are worth pursuing or tell young men and women what they’re allowed to study. You work hard. You choose your path. You build your future,” Mucarsel-Powell wrote Monday in a social media post on X.
“When government starts deciding which fields of study are ‘worthy’ based on how much money they make, it sets our country [on] a dangerous path. That kind of government control is something we condemn in places like Cuba and China. Education is freedom. The American Dream is about expanding opportunity, not having Washington dictate it.”
The new rule is set to go into effect on July 1, 2027, framed by the Trump administration as part of its efforts to bring "accountability" to higher education. Such framing was deceitful, argued Melanie D’Arrigo, former Democratic congressional candidate and activist.
“Trump isn’t making college more affordable. He isn’t forcing employers to pay living wages,” D’Arrigo wrote Monday in a social media post on X. “He isn’t trying to solve the student debt crisis. He’s just limiting education for Americans.”
I have been fortunate to live the American Dream because I had access to a good quality education and student loans helped me get there.
I received a liberal arts education that taught me how to think critically, communicate, lead and adapt, the very skills employers value… https://t.co/PdROyOZm13
— Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (@DebbieforFL) September 28, 2026