Trump backs DeSantis push to overhaul college accreditation, igniting a red-state reset

Ron DeSantis, backed by Donald Trump, is spearheading a red-state campaign to replace the current college accreditors with a conservative-led alternative, funded in part by a $1 million Education Department grant; several states are weighing or passing bills to switch to the new accreditor, arguing for less DEI-driven evaluation and more competition, while critics warn the move could politicize accreditation and disrupt access to federal student aid.