The University of Virginia president stepped down on Friday after facing intense pressure from the Trump administration over the institution’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

James E. Ryan, who had led the school since 2018, said he had already decided that next year would be his last and decided not to «fight the federal government in order to save my own job» until then.

To make a long story short, I am inclined to fight for what I believe in, and I believe deeply in this University,» Ryan wrote to the UVA community on Friday. «But I cannot make a unilateral decision to fight the federal government in order to save my own job. To do so would not only be quixotic but appear selfish and self-centered to the hundreds of employees who would lose their jobs, the researchers who would lose their funding, and the hundreds of students who could lose financial aid or have their visas withheld.»

«This is especially true because I had decided that next year would be my last, for reasons entirely separate from this episode—including the fact that we concluded our capital campaign and have implemented nearly all of the major initiatives in our strategic plan,» he continued.

TRUMP’S DOJ PRESSURING UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA TO AXE ITS PRESIDENT OVER DEI PROGRAMS: REPORT

Robert D. Hardie, leader of the University of Virginia’s governing board, said in a statement he accepted Ryan’s resignation with «profound sadness,» adding that he had been an «extraordinary president,» led the institution to «unprecedented heights» and that the university «has forever been changed for the better as a result of Jim’s exceptional leadership.»

This comes after the Trump administration had privately demanded that the university remove Ryan to help resolve a Justice Department probe into the institution’s DEI practices, according to The New York Times.

The Justice Department argued that Ryan had failed to dismantle the school’s DEI programs and misrepresented the steps taken to eliminate them, amid the administration’s efforts to root out DEI in higher education, the newspaper reported.

The federal government’s moves targeting higher education include pulling billions of dollars from elite universities such as Harvard, which has been the subject of investigations by various agencies over issues such as DEI initiatives, admissions practices and alleged antisemitism on campus.

But this was the first time the administration had pressured a university to remove its president.

«That sham virtue signaling of DEI has no place in our country, and the Trump administration is working tirelessly to erase this divisive, backward, and unjust practice from our society,» White House spokesman Harrison Fields told Fox News Digital.

«Any university president willingly breaking federal civil rights laws will be met with the full force of the federal government, and it would behoove every school in America to prioritize the civil rights of every student and end DEI once and for all,» he continued.

James Ryan, who had led the school since 2018, said he had already decided that next year would be his last. (AP)

Ryan had focused on increasing diversity at the university, bringing in more first-generation students and encouraging community service. These efforts had ruffled the feathers of conservative alumni and Republican board members who argued he was «too woke» and wanted to impose his beliefs on students.

Before his time as the university’s president, Ryan served as the dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where he received recognition for his commitment to DEI programs.

In a joint statement, Virginia’s Democratic senators said it was «outrageous» that the administration would demand Ryan’s resignation over «‘culture war’ traps.»

«Decisions about UVA’s leadership belong solely to its Board of Visitors, in keeping with Virginia’s well-established and respected system of higher education governance,» Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine said. «This is a mistake that hurts Virginia’s future.»

Conservative groups have lambasted Ryan for what they regard as insufficient steps toward compliance with the administration’s plans to eliminate DEI. America First Legal, a nonprofit launched by Trump advisor Stephen Miller, accused the University of Virginia last month of rebranding DEI programs to skirt Trump’s executive orders aimed at ending diversity initiatives.

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The Trump administration had privately demanded that the university remove Ryan to help resolve a Justice Department probe into the institution’s DEI practices. (Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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«Rebranding discrimination does not make it legal, and changing a label doesn’t change the substance,» Megan Redshaw, an attorney at America First Legal, said in a statement at the time. «UVA’s use of sanitized language and recycled job titles is a deliberate attempt to sidestep the law.»

The group took direct aim at Ryan, noting that he joined hundreds of other college presidents in signing a public statement condemning the administration’s «overreach and political interference.»

On Friday, the group vowed to continue to use every available tool to root out DEI.

«This week’s developments make clear: public universities that accept federal funds do not have a license to violate the Constitution,» Redshaw said in a statement to The Associated Press. «They do not get to impose ideological loyalty tests, enforce race and sex-based preferences, or defy lawful executive authority.»

The U.S. Virtual Embassy in Iran is insisting that Americans leave the Middle Eastern country amid conflicts in the region after a partial reopening of its airspace.

This comes after a ceasefire agreement between Iran and Israel to end the nearly two-week conflict.

«As of June 26, 2025, Iran’s airspace has been partially reopened, although business trips from Tehran and other major centers may be interrupted,» the embassy said in an advisory. «US citizens should follow local media and consult with commercial airlines to get more information about flights departing from Iran.»

American citizens who wish to leave Iran must travel by land to Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey or Turkmenistan if the conditions are safe, the embassy said.

IRAN WARNS OF ‘REAL CAPABILITIES’ IF TRUMP DOESN’T DROP ‘DISRESPECTFUL’ TONE TOWARD SUPREME LEADER

The U.S. State Department created a crisis information acceptance form for American citizens in Iran to provide information on consular assistance, the embassy noted. But because of the limitations of consular support in Iran, the embassy said it does not anticipate that withdrawal from Iran will be provided with direct assistance from the U.S. government.

U.S. citizens who plan to leave Iran must use the available facilities to leave the country, it said.

The embassy encouraged Americans wanting to leave Iran to take several actions, including having a plan to leave immediately without relying on the U.S. government, keeping their phones charged and communicating with loved ones about their situation, preparing an emergency plan for emergency situations and signing up for alerts from the U.S. government such as the Intelligent Passenger Registration Program (STEP) that would make it easier to find their location in an emergency abroad.

NEW YORK TIMES ATTORNEY TELLS TRUMP NO APOLOGY COMING FOR COVERAGE OF IRAN STRIKES

American citizens who wish to leave Iran must travel by land to Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey or Turkmenistan if the conditions are safe, the embassy said. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Americans who cannot leave Iran are advised to find a safe place in their residence or another safe building and to carry food, water, medicine and other essential items with them.

At certain intervals, the Iranian government has limited access to the mobile internet network and physical phone lines, the embassy said, adding that U.S. citizens should be prepared for internet network outages and develop alternative network connectivity and communication plans.

«American-Iranian dual citizens must leave Iran with an Iranian passport and before leaving Iran, they must be ready to face checkpoints and be interrogated by Iranian authorities,» the embassy said. «The state of the Iranian government Dual citizenship does not recognize and will treat American-Iranian dual citizens only as Iranian citizens. US nationals in Iran are at significant risk of interrogation, arrest, and detention. Showing a US passport or proving a connection with the United States is sufficient reason for the arrest of a person by the Iranian authorities.»

Americans who cannot leave Iran are advised to find a safe place in their residence or another safe building. (AP:Getty)

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«US passports may be confiscated in Iran,» it continued. «American-Iranian dual citizens should consider that in their Iranian passport, they will receive the necessary visas for the countries they will pass through on their return trip to the United States, so that in case of confiscation of their American passport, they can use [their] Iranian passport in Iran. These people can then apply for a new US passport in the country they will pass through.»

U.S. citizens who reside in Iran with a permanent residence visa, regardless of how long they are staying, must obtain an exit permit when departing Iran, the embassy said, noting that all Iranian passport holders are required to pay exit fees.

La guerra civil de Sudán está fuera del radar mediático. Un misil disparado en Medio Oriente genera más repercusión que el drama humanitario que viven casi 25 millones de personas, la mitad de la población de este país africano arrasado por un conflicto que lleva más de dos años.

Sudán es un territorio pobre e inestable, de escaso valor estratégico y con una sociedad poco desarrollada. No es noticia en los grandes centros del poder geopolítico internacional y ni siquiera en las naciones periféricas como la Argentina. Simplemente, el drama de millones de personas abandonadas a su suerte no genera suficiente empatía o solidaridad en el mundo.

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Por un lado, combaten las Fuerzas de Apoyo Rápido (FAR, paramilitares) y, por el otro, las Fuerzas Armadas Sudanesas (FAS), lideradas por antiguos aliados y hoy enemigos acérrimos enfrentados por el poder de un lugar olvidado por todos.

Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, líder de las FAR, lucha contra su antiguo jefe, el comandante del ejército regular, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, líder de facto del país desde el golpe de Estado de 2021. Ambos bandos son acusados por igual de asesinatos en masa, violencia sexual sistemática, secuestros, saqueo de ayuda y destrucción de infraestructura y del sistema de salud que depende de la ayuda exterior.

El país está dividido en dos. El norte, este y centro está controlado por el Ejército, que debió trasladar la sede de su autodenominado “Gobierno de la Esperanza” a Port Sudán, sobre el Mar Rojo, para escapar de los combates en Jartum, la capital. En tanto, la vasta región occidental de Darfur está en manos de los paramilitares. Pero amplias zonas del sur están en constante disputa.

¿Más de 150.000 muertos?

Las cifras estremecen. Desde el estallido de la guerra, el 15 de abril de 2023, decenas de miles de sudaneses murieron. Nadie sabe el número exacto. La ONU estima que las víctimas son al menos 20.000, pero algunas ONG hablan de más de 60.000. El enviado especial de Estados Unidos, Tom Perriello, dijo el año pasado que los muertos ya superaban los 150.000. Cualquier dato es creíble.

Además, hay 12 millones de desplazados internos y otros cuatro millones en países vecinos.

Según un reporte de Naciones Unidas, más de la mitad de la población sufre altos niveles de inseguridad alimentaria aguda. Esa cifra incluye a 8,1 millones de personas en condiciones de emergencia y 638.000 en catástrofe o hambruna, de acuerdo al informe.

Esperanza Santos tiene 45 años, es de Madrid y desde hace un año se encuentra en Sudán como coordinadores de emergencias de la misión de Médicos sin Fronteras (MSF) en el país. Ha estado en distintas zonas de Darfur y Puerto Sudán.

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“La guerra ha afectado a todo el país. Empezó en Jartum, la capital, y se extendió a Darfur, al oeste del país, y las principales ciudades”, contó Santos en diálogo telefónico con TN.

Según dijo, más de dos años ininterrumpidos de violencia han provocado desplazamientos masivos y el colapso de la infraestructura sanitaria.

“No es solo la situación de violencia. No hay un sistema de salud que permita, por ejemplo realizar una campaña de vacunación. Tenemos epidemias una detrás de la otra, de cólera, sarampión, difteria y malaria. No hay agua potable”, resumió.

Santos contó que cuando los combates se detienen en una determinada área no hay tiempo suficiente para lograr su recuperación porque la lucha se reanuda tarde o temprano.

“Hay momentos más estables, pero la situación del país es dramática. En Darfur, una de las zonas menos desarrolladas y con más dificultades a nivel humanitario, las necesidades son mayores”, señaló.

El sistema de salud está colapsado

Según graficó, todo el sistema de salud está afectado. Muchos centros no funcionan porque están dañados o carecen de suministros o simplemente porque el personal ha sido desplazado por los combates.

“El sistema de salud no está funcionando en muchas zonas. No hay suministro regular de medicamentos. Ha habido zonas sitiadas durante muchos meses sin ninguna posibilidad de reaprovisionamiento de ningún tipo”, enfatizó.

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Los más perjudicados son los niños y las mujeres embarazadas. “No llegan insumos, hay menos cosas en el mercado y el costo de la comida aumenta. La gente ha perdido su medio de vida y su trabajo. Todo esto afecta a la nutrición. Entonces hay más mortalidad. Es la tormenta perfecta”, comentó Santos.

Aun así, Médicos Sin Fronteras está presente en 11 de los 18 estados del país. Su trabajo incluye apoyar la escasa infraestructura sanitaria, proveer materiales e insumos y dar atención a quienes la necesitan.

Santos se lamentó por la escasa repercusión internacional de esta guerra. “La gente no sabe dónde queda Sudán y mucho menos que está en guerra. Esto te da mucha frustración y rabia”, afirmó.

El director de la Oficina de Asuntos Humanitarios de la ONU, Tom Fletcher, graficó: “Sudán se ha convertido en un triste ejemplo de indiferencia e impunidad en el mundo. Esta es la mayor crisis humanitaria del mundo”.

“Unos 30 millones de personas, la mitad de la población, necesitan ayuda vital como consecuencia de una guerra despiadada”, concluyó.