Trump's campus speech order threatens academic freedom

President Trump has offered a deal to nine universities, threatening to withhold federal funding if they don't comply with his demands regarding academic freedom and campus speech. The proposed "compact for academic excellence" requires institutions to maintain "civility," abolish units that "punish, belittle, and even spark violence against conservative ideas," and prevent disruptions to class instruction. This move is criticized as an attempt to roll back academic gains and suppress critical discourse, with California's governor threatening to withhold state funding from any state universities that sign the agreement.