President Trump’s executive order on April 23, titled “Reforming Accreditation to Strengthen Higher Education,” has sparked significant responses from accrediting bodies in the education sector. The order criticizes accreditors for approving low-quality institutions and focusing on discriminatory ideologies rather than student outcomes. Trump highlighted a concerning national six-year undergraduate graduation rate of 64 percent in 2020.
The executive order specifically targets three accrediting organizations: the American Bar Association’s Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar (Council), which accredits Juris Doctor programs; the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), responsible for accrediting Doctor of Medicine programs; and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), which oversees allopathic and osteopathic medical residency and fellowship programs. The Attorney General, along with the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services, has been directed to consider suspending or terminating these entities’ federal accreditation status.
In response, two accreditors have taken temporary measures. On May 9, the ABA Legal Ed Section Council extended its suspension of “Diversity and Inclusion” Standard 206 through August 2026 after pressure from the Department of Education. This move falls short of a complete repeal demanded by Attorney General Pam Bondi. Similarly, ACGME suspended enforcement of certain diversity-related requirements pending further discussion at their June board meeting.
Conversely, LCME took decisive action by voting on May 19 to eliminate Element 3.3 related to diversity programs. This decision was made to avoid conflicts between accreditation requirements and state laws without referencing the executive order or federal law.
The future actions of ACGME or ABA Higher Ed Section Council regarding their standards remain uncertain following LCME’s decision.
