Peter Wood, president of the National Association of Scholars, publicly endorsed the Trump administration's decision to freeze federal funds for Harvard University, calling the administration’s demands 'reasonable and valid.' This stance aligns the association with an authoritarian approach to higher education policy, potentially undermining academic freedom and opposing progressive DEI initiatives.

The National Association of Scholars played a key role in influencing Ohio Senate Bill 1 by offering model legislative language used in the law. The bill includes provisions that, among other reforms, require universities to disclose DEI spending and prohibit financial contributions from Chinese sources. While NAS touts this as a move towards depoliticizing higher education and enhancing accountability, critics argue that its focus on limiting DEI-related expenditures could undermine efforts to support diversity and inclusion in academia.

On October 3, 2024, the National Association of Scholars released a report titled 'Shadows of Influence: Uncovering Hidden Foreign Funds to American Universities.' The report uncovers billions of dollars in undisclosed foreign funding—from countries such as Qatar, China, and Russia—flowing into U.S. universities, linking these funds to potential compromises in academic transparency and freedom. The report also highlights how universities may have ceased proper reporting practices after changes in Department of Education oversight.

On September 30, 2024, the National Association of Scholars released the report 'Shadows of Influence: Uncovering Hidden Foreign Funds to American Universities'. The report reveals that many U.S. universities have significantly underreported foreign gifts, potentially opening institutions to coercion by adversarial foreign governments. It criticizes the lack of transparent enforcement by both the universities and the Department of Education and offers policy recommendations to improve disclosure practices.

On April 26, 2023, the National Association of Scholars released a report asserting that the BDS movement undermines political neutrality and academic freedom by portraying a one‐sided narrative that demonizes Israel and linking campus activism to broader progressive networks. This messaging effectively delegitimizes progressive dissent in academic settings.

In 2022, the National Association of Scholars released its report 'Outsourced to Qatar', which detailed Qatar’s extensive financial influence on American university branch campuses. The report documents underreported foreign funds, calls for greater transparency in reporting practices, and advocates for stricter enforcement measures to counter authoritarian influence in higher education.

In 2017, the National Association of Scholars revealed that China offered U.S. colleges $150,000 to establish Confucius Institutes, drawing attention to the broader strategy of authoritarian states using higher education to extend their influence.