Baumgartner applauds Trump Executive Order on promoting transparency in foreign gift disclosures

WASHINGTON- Today, Congressman Michael Baumgartner (WA-05) issued the following statement after President Trump signed an executive order to increase transparency and enforce stricter reporting requirements for foreign gifts and funding received by U.S. colleges and universities.

“I applaud President Trump for taking decisive action by signing an executive order that underscores the critical issues highlighted in the DETERRENT Act, said Congressman Baumgartner. “This executive order reinforces our commitment to protecting academic integrity and defending our universities from foreign influence, particularly from adversarial regimes like the Chinese Communist Party.”

Baumgartner added, “While the DETERRENT Act is a major step forward—passing the House with strong bipartisan support—I still urge the Senate to act so it becomes the law of the land, not just an executive action that could be reversed. The time to act is now. Institutions should begin implementing these safeguards immediately, adopting measures like transparency, robust oversight, and foreign funding disclosures to preserve the free exchange of ideas and innovation that define American academia.”