Accreditors and campus leaders told the Council for Higher Education Accreditation that the Trump administration’s policy agenda is pressuring a broad overhaul of the accreditation system. Jon Fansmith of the American Council on Education warned that executive directives and Education Department moves to encourage new accreditors and curb DEI standards will change accreditor–institution relationships nationwide. Separately, analysts and higher‑ed outlets compiled a preview of the policy, legal and funding trends likely to shape campuses in 2026—from DOJ civil‑rights probes to potential regs easing new‑accreditor entry. Institutions face operational and compliance risk as federal aims shift from targeting individual campuses to systemic regulatory change.