The Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that affirmative action by universities on the basis of race was unlawful, but said that they could use statements about the racial experiences of candidates when deciding on places.

"The persistent lack of available data -- paired with the rampant use of 'diversity statements' and other overt and hidden racial proxies -- continues to raise concerns about whether race is actually used in practice," Trump wrote in a memorandum.

Since returning to the presidency, Trump has waged a campaign against US universities, accusing them of being hotbeds of anti-conservative ideology, anti-Semitism and "wokery."

He has also issued executive actions curtailing diversity, equity and inclusion programs in government, which had been intended to redress historic injustices.

He accused the so-called "DEI" policies of discriminating against white people.

"Greater transparency is essential to exposing unlawful practices and ultimately ridding society of shameful, dangerous racial hierarchies," Trump wrote.

The order requires that universities expand their reporting into the National Center for Education Statistics to "provide adequate transparency into admissions."

The details of the enhanced requirements would follow at a later date, the memorandum said.

As part of his wider push to bring higher education to heel, Trump has wielded federal funds as a negotiating tool for universities that he says are too liberal, insisting that they submit to curriculum, enrollment and other changes.

The Republican's administration has also decreased or placed holds on spending for university research as part of wider budget cuts since taking office in January. 

Columbia University was the first to be targeted in Trump's war against elite universities, for what the US president claimed was its failure to tackle anti-Semitism on campus in the wake of pro-Palestinian protests.

It was stripped of hundreds of millions of dollars of federal funding and lost its ability to apply for new research grants. Labs saw vital funding frozen, and dozens of researchers were laid off.

But Columbia last month agreed to pay the government $200 million, and an additional $21 million to settle an investigation into anti-Semitism.

Columbia, along with Brown, reportedly already agreed to disclose admissions data including race and test scores to the government as part of their settlements with the administration over alleged breaches of anti-discrimination laws.

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