The status quo is that the universities themselves decide. That is clearly more neutral than the government dictating to them.
True, it was less pressure and more subtle than Trump's pressure. And it was in the direction that the universities were more willing to move in, due to the personnel of universities leaning left. But was it really "the universities themselves decide"? I'm not sure that it was.
But I will agree to this at least: Left to themselves, the universities were not likely to wind up where Trump is trying to push them to be.
Cite any pressure from the federal government.
You're engaging in a version of BSABSVR argumentation.