America’s education system is in disarray, and the cracks are showing. For decades, colleges and universities have been hailed as the gold standard for preparing young minds for the future, but that reputation is crumbling. Skyrocketing tuition costs, bloated administrative bureaucracies, and a growing disconnect between what students learn and what the real world demands have left many questioning the value of a degree.

Graduates are drowning in debt, often armed with credentials that don’t translate into meaningful careers. Meanwhile, campuses have become battlegrounds for ideological clashes, with accusations of one-sided narratives alienating large swaths of the population. The system isn’t just failing students—it’s failing the nation.

Enter Donald Trump, a figure who thrives on shaking up broken institutions. His administration’s blunt assessment that higher education needs “a kick in the rear end” resonates with a public increasingly skeptical of academia’s worth. Trump’s approach—unapologetic and confrontational—might be the jolt America needs to rethink how we educate our future leaders.

While his tactics spark debate, the underlying frustration with colleges is undeniable. Could his push to overhaul higher education, from curbing federal funding for controversial programs to challenging entrenched biases, be the catalyst for real change? The numbers suggest the public is ready for something different.

According to CNN’s chief data analyst Harry Enten, confidence in higher education has nosedived. “You go back a decade ago, 57% of Americans had high confidence in higher education. … That number has plummeted … down to 36%,” Enten said during a discussion with Kate Balduan. He pointed to a recent Gallup poll showing that 68% of Americans believe higher education is “on the wrong track.” This isn’t just a fleeting sentiment—it’s a seismic shift in how people view institutions once seen as untouchable.

A major driver of this distrust is the perception of ideological slant on campuses. Enten highlighted that “45% of Americans overall agree with the idea that colleges have a liberal bias. Just 24% disagree with that idea.” Among Republicans, the numbers are even starker, with “67% of Republicans” convinced that colleges lean heavily left.

This sentiment fuels conservative criticism of academia, which Trump has eagerly tapped into. “This is why Donald Trump is so emphatic and so wanting to take on this fight because he knows that Republicans hate universities, hate the administrations, believe they have a liberal bias, and in fact the plurality of Americans overall agree with the idea, agree with Donald Trump, that colleges are in fact a place where bias reigns,” Enten explained.

The debate has moved beyond whether bias exists to whether Trump’s aggressive tactics are the right way to address it. “It’s a question of whether or not people agree with Trump’s tactics,” Enten noted, adding that Americans “definitely agree with him on the idea that there is a problem with higher ed overall.”

Trump’s moves, like targeting federal funding for universities such as Harvard over their DEI initiatives and tolerance of antisemitism, signal a willingness to challenge the status quo. These institutions, which receive billions in taxpayer dollars, are now under scrutiny for practices many see as divisive or discriminatory.

The ripple effects of this approach are already visible. Enten pointed out that webpage views for U.S. university courses from international students dropped by 50% between January and April.

Students abroad are potentially looking elsewhere, perhaps wary of America’s polarized campus climate or uncertain about the value of a U.S. degree. This decline could force universities to rethink their priorities, as losing international enrollment—a major revenue source—hits hard.

WATCH:

A lot of Americans agree with Trump: higher ed needs a kick in the rear end. Those with high confidence in higher ed has collapsed: 57% in 2015 to 36% now. 68% (!) say higher ed is on the wrong track.

Also, a plurality of Americans & the GOP agree: colleges have a liberal bias. pic.twitter.com/JZtup3BoGV

— (((Harry Enten))) (@ForecasterEnten) May 29, 2025

Trump’s push to reform higher education isn’t without controversy, but it’s rooted in a truth most Americans now recognize: the system is broken. Whether his solutions are the answer remains to be seen, but the conversation he’s ignited is long overdue.

Do you agree with President Trump that higher education in America is broken? Let us know what you think in the comments below!