UC Berkeley Faces Trump Administration Probe Over Alleged Undisclosed Foreign Funding

The University of California, Berkeley, is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education for allegedly failing to disclose foreign funding, the department announced on April 25, 2025. This probe, centered on incomplete or inaccurate reporting of foreign gifts, marks the latest escalation in the Trump administration's crackdown on America's top-tier academic institutions, following a similar inquiry into Harvard University.

The investigation was triggered by a 2023 The Daily Beast report alleging that UC Berkeley did not disclose $220 million in funding from the Chinese government for the Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute (TBSI), a joint venture with China's Tsinghua University launched in 2014. Education Secretary Linda McMahon stated that the Department's Office of General Counsel will examine "UC Berkeley's apparent failure to fully and accurately disclose significant funding received from foreign sources."

This probe aligns with President Donald Trump's recent executive orders to enforce Section 117 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, which requires universities to report foreign gifts and contracts exceeding $250,000. McMahon criticized the previous administration, saying, "The Biden-Harris Administration turned a blind eye to colleges and universities' legal obligations by deprioritizing oversight and allowing foreign gifts to pour onto American campuses," underscoring the current administration's commitment to stricter enforcement.

UC Berkeley has emphasized its willingness to cooperate. The university also clarified that it began phasing out its partnership with TBSI after the 2023 report, noting that its researchers "engage only in research whose results are always openly disseminated around the world."

The investigation is part of a broader Trump administration campaign targeting universities perceived as liberal bastions. Earlier this month, Harvard faced threats to its tax-exempt status and foreign student enrollment over alleged "illegal and violent activities" by visa holders. The administration's demands to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs have also drawn legal challenges, with California and other states suing on April 25, 2025, to block mandates tying federal funding to DEI program cuts.

Critics argue the probes are politically driven, exploiting distrust in elite institutions to advance a conservative agenda. X posts reflect divided opinions, with some users supporting the push for transparency and others decrying it as an attack on academic freedom.

The UC Berkeley probe could reshape higher education, with the administration's focus on Section 117—highlighted in the conservative Project 2025 blueprint—raising the specter of reduced federal funding, including Pell Grants and Fulbright Scholarships. As the investigation progresses, UC Berkeley's response and the academic community's reaction will likely influence the balance between university autonomy and federal oversight.

For now, UC Berkeley stands at the center of a high-stakes clash, with the Trump administration showing no signs of relenting in its mission to reshape American higher education. As one X user put it, this investigation "marks a pivotal moment for academic transparency" at a storied institution.