on process, which it states is “based on merit, not ideology” and has traditionally been insulated from political interference. The board said the integrity of that process was “now undermined”.
Political appointees at the state department had cancelled Fulbright scholarships for dozens of academics and students, mainly on the basis of their research topics, according to people familiar with the matter.
The prestigious Fulbright Program has long been considered one of the pillars of US cultural diplomacy. It has been widely seen as enhancing America’s relations with its allies, with many Fulbright alumni rising to leadership roles in government, the sciences and the arts.
Trump administration critics say the Fulbright is the latest victim of the White House’s assault on symbols of US soft power. President Donald Trump has terminated funding for the Voice of America broadcasting network; dismantled USAID, the country’s main agency for international aid; and withdrawn from the Paris climate accord and the World Health Organization.
A senior state department official said the 12 members of the Fulbright board were “partisan political appointees of the Biden administration”, and it was “ridiculous” to believe they would “continue to have final say over the application process”.
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