A National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) meeting under the Trump administration opened with partisan tension but ended without sweeping action, renewing recognition for several major accreditors while probing transparency and program ROI. The committee’s early meetings signal an administration push to reshape accreditation policy without immediate, systemic revocations. Investigations and policy memos revealed a coordinated effort among advocates, some policymakers and new accreditors to loosen legacy accreditation standards; two Georgia universities volunteered to join a new, controversial accreditor. The debate centers on balancing regulatory burden, institutional autonomy and student protections. Higher‑ed leaders and accreditors should expect ongoing federal scrutiny and potential regulatory pathways that make it easier to change accreditors — a development that could alter quality assurance, state authorization and federal student-aid oversight.