President Donald Trump's education secretary Linda McMahon drew scathing criticism on social media for touting academic research that falls in line with the Trump administration's values.
McMahon told CNBC on Wednesday, "Universities should continue to be able to do research as long as they're abiding by the laws and in sync, I think, with the administration and what the administration is trying to accomplish."
Her comments followed in the wake of Trump's recent attacks on Harvard University over issues of free speech and academic freedoms.
"Trump is trying to take over, the schools, the media, the law firms and the courts. Is anyone paying attention?" wrote @DenisonBarbs to their 19,000 followers on X.
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Liberal commentator @margaretsiegien posted, "Linda McMahon's comments are a blatant attack on academic freedom, using anti-Semitism as a convenient excuse to punish Harvard for not bowing to Trump's agenda. Withholding federal funding over political disagreements is a cowardly move that undermines education and research. This isn't about protecting students; it's about silencing dissent. The administration's hypocrisy is staggering, and their actions are a disgrace to the principles of free inquiry. Wake up, America this is fascism in action."
Cybersecurity expert @_oRyca_ wrote, "Ah yes, the new standard for academic research: only legal if it vibes with the administration’s political agenda. Who needs academic freedom when you can have government-approved science and research that’s 'in sync' with the party line? Next up: peer review by cabinet members."
The account of investment banker @odinikaeze called McMahon's statement "deeply troubling, and fundamentally un-American."
"In a free democracy, university research is not supposed to be 'in sync' with any administration’s political agenda. That’s not academic inquiry, it’s propaganda. Universities are bastions of independent thought, critical inquiry, and intellectual freedom. Their role is to challenge assumptions, pursue truth, and often question those in power. Requiring them to align with any administration’s goals, left or right, would erode the very foundation of academic freedom. If scientific discovery, historical research, or public policy studies are forced to conform to political aims, we lose not just truth, but also progress."
Filmmaker @jeremynewberger wrote, "Making everyone dumber, killing off people through disease or poverty, or giving all of our money to Trump? Which administration policy is she talking about?"
