Trump’s 2027 Budget Proposal Targets Education Funding, Raising Concerns for HBCUs

By Aidan Christion

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s proposed 2027 federal budget is drawing criticism after outlining significant cuts to domestic programs, including education funding that could impact historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and other minority-serving institutions.

The proposal calls for a 10% reduction in non-defense discretionary spending, part of a broader effort to redirect federal resources toward military and national security priorities. 

While the administration has not publicly detailed every line-item reduction, early analyses and policy documents indicate that education programs—particularly those tied to diversity, equity, and minority-serving institutions—are among the areas targeted for cuts. 

Reports and policy reactions circulating online have pointed to a figure of approximately $354 million in potential funding reductions affecting HBCUs and similar institutions. However, this specific number has not yet been fully confirmed in official federal budget breakdowns and appears to be tied to broader cuts to minority-serving education programs.

The proposed budget also includes:

A record $1.5 trillion in defense spending Reductions to multiple domestic agencies, including education, environmental, and health programs 

Critics argue that cuts to education—especially institutions that serve historically underserved communities—could widen existing disparities in higher education access and resources. Supporters of the proposal, however, say the changes are intended to eliminate what the administration describes as “wasteful” or politically driven programs.

This is not the first time funding tied to minority-serving institutions has been reshaped under the Trump administration. In 2025, the Department of Education eliminated roughly $350 million in discretionary grants for certain minority-serving institutions while redirecting funds to other priorities. 

The 2027 budget proposal is just that—a proposal—and must be approved by Congress before any changes take effect. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are expected to debate the scope and impact of the cuts in the coming months.

UPDATE:

A wider review of President Donald Trump’s proposed FY2027 budget shows the White House is pairing its requested $1.5 trillion military budget with a long list of cuts across education, research, housing, health, international aid, small-business support, and local development programs.

The proposal includes a $354 million cut to Minority-Serving Institutions programs, a $1.6 billion cut to NOAA Operations, Research and Grants, a $993 million cut to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and a $5 billion cut to NIH. It also calls for eliminating or sharply reducing programs such as:

the Economic Development Administration (-$449 million), Minority Business Development Agency (-$47 million), Rural Business Service loans (-$82 million), McGovern-Dole Food for Education (-$240 million), Community Development Block Grant (-$3.3 billion), Job Corps (-$1.6 billion), Community Services Block Grant (-$775 million), Refugee Resettlement (-$768 million), Unaccompanied Alien Children (-$819 million), AHRQ (-$129 million), NASA STEM Engagement (-$143 million), and SBA entrepreneurial development programs (-$309 million). 

Fact-check note: the viral list going around is partly accurate, but not cleanly stated in every case. Some line items do match the White House budget document almost exactly, but others are either described too broadly, mislabeled, or not supported by the summary document the administration released. For example, the budget summary says Title I funding for disadvantaged schools is maintained, not cut by $8.5 billion, and the Transportation section includes new infrastructure and FAA increases, even while trimming some separate programs like Essential Air Service (-$372 million).