Massie Praises MIT, Rebukes Trump Funding Push | JQJO

Rep. Thomas Massie condemned President Donald Trump’s bid to pressure elite universities, applauding MIT for rejecting a White House compact that would tie priority federal funding to conditions such as curbing international enrollment and barring transgender athletes from competing by gender identity. In a post on X, Massie praised his alma mater’s refusal to accept what he called a federal “bribe.” MIT President Sally Kornbluth said the school values independent thinking and open competition. Massie’s broader breaks with Trump include co-sponsoring the Epstein Files Transparency Act and opposing spending plans and wartime powers.