Andreessen Claims Universities "Declared War on 70% of the Country" Over DEI

Silicon Valley luminary Marc Andreessen, co-founder of venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, recently asserted that elite universities have "declared war on 70% of the country" through their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives and immigration policies. These controversial remarks, made in a private group chat with White House officials and tech leaders, were subsequently leaked to the press, sparking widespread discussion. Tech journalist Timothy B. Lee, despite being blocked by Andreessen on social media, publicly acknowledged Andreessen's stance, stating, "Marc Andreessen has me blocked for some reason but he is (or at least was) right about this."

Andreessen's criticisms, detailed in screenshots reviewed by The Washington Post, targeted institutions such as Stanford University and MIT, which he described as "mainly political lobbying operations fighting American innovation at this point." He argued that the combination of DEI and immigration policies created a "politically lethal" environment, systematically disadvantaging "most of the children of the Trump voter base" from accessing higher education and corporate America. Andreessen reportedly added, "They declared war on 70% of the country and now they’re going to pay the price."

Adding a personal dimension to his critique, Andreessen claimed that Stanford had "forced my wife out" of her role as chair of the university’s philanthropy center. He further suggested that this decision would cost the institution "something like $5 billion in future donations." This alleged incident underscores Andreessen's deep-seated frustration with the direction of academic institutions.

The venture capitalist, whose firm endorsed Donald Trump's presidential campaign, has been a vocal critic of what he perceives as ideological shifts in higher education. His comments reflect a broader sentiment among some tech leaders and conservative figures who view DEI and certain immigration policies as detrimental to meritocracy and national interests. The leaked messages have intensified the ongoing debate about the role of universities and the impact of their policies on various segments of society.