Bannon: Cut Federal Funds to UW-Madison Over Ties to CCP, ‘Woke’ Faculty
In a fiery rebuke, Bannon calls on Trump to pull federal funds from UW-Madison, accusing the university of harboring CCP influence and anti-American ideology through its “woke” faculty and research programs.
Published June 13, 2025

Steve Bannon is targeting the University of Wisconsin-Madison in his latest warning to America’s higher education system, urging former President Donald Trump to cut off all federal funding to the campus over alleged Chinese Communist Party (CCP) infiltration and entrenched left-wing ideology.

“Let’s go to Madison,” Bannon said on War Room. “You’re all huge woke, DEI, anti-MAGA. That’s fine. Go ask the state of Wisconsin to come up with the $2–3 billion a year the federal government provides. See how far that takes you.”

RELATED: U.S.-China Slash Tariffs in Surprise Trade Thaw, Resetting Global Economic Ties

Bannon argued that UW-Madison, like other so-called “public Ivies,” has become a hotbed of anti-American faculty and foreign influence. He claimed the CCP is using universities as part of its “unrestricted warfare” strategy to weaken the U.S. from within—economically, politically, and psychologically.

He proposed a federal funding freeze until a mass purge of “neo-Marxist” faculty and administrators is completed and all Chinese nationals involved in research are removed.

“They will fold quicker than the law firms,” Bannon said, referencing firms that backed away from anti-Trump causes after government pressure. “The universities will cave in 24 hours if their money dries up.”

RELATED: Wisconsin Republicans Strip Evers’ Budget, Reset Debate on State Priorities

Bannon cited reports that foreign regimes, including China and Qatar, have funneled $29 billion into U.S. universities, arguing that it’s time to force schools like UW-Madison to choose between ideology and taxpayer dollars.