The US Department of Education announced on April 25 that it has launched an investigation into the disclosure of foreign funds at the University of California, Berkeley. The school is suspected of not reporting billions of dollars in funding from the Chinese Communist Party.
The Department of Education stated in a press release that the investigation aims to obtain records related to the university’s foreign funding sources. Previous reviews found that Berkeley may have provided “incomplete or inaccurate” information to the government.
On April 23, President Trump signed an executive order requiring US universities to disclose foreign funding sources and purposes in accordance with the law, or risk having certain federal funding revoked. This action stems from concerns within the government about long-term foreign influence penetration of American universities.
Last week, the Department of Education initiated a similar investigation into Harvard University.
US Secretary of Education Linda McMahon commented on the investigation, stating, “The Biden-Harris administration has disregarded the legal obligations of universities, relaxed oversight, and allowed foreign funds to flow into American campuses.”
Federal law in the United States requires all universities to report any foreign funds they receive.
According to a report by the New York Post on April 25, nearly $1 billion flowed into American universities from opaque offshore tax havens during the Biden administration, with the true source countries of the funds often being obscured. In 2024, countries contributing the most to American universities included China and Qatar.
In addition to university funding, the number of cases of US researchers illegally collaborating with China has sharply increased in recent years, prompting FBI investigations.
Following his return to the White House, the Trump administration has called for reforms at some of the top universities in the US, addressing issues such as campus pro-Palestinian protests, transgender rights, diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, among others.