The Trump administration has shifted tactics in its campaign to influence U.S. higher education institutions. Instead of threats, it now offers financial incentives to encourage compliance with its ideological policies. Critics argue this move is another effort to exert broad control over the nation's elite universities. On Wednesday, the White House sent a memo called "A Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education" to nine top U.S. universities. Organizations fear this approach could punish schools for noncompliance and jeopardize academic independence, as the administration continues to push its agenda across sectors, like education and politics.