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Strongest Signal
John Eastman , a key legal architect of efforts to overturn the 2020 election for Donald Trump, was a long-time professor and former dean at Pepperdine's Caruso School of Law.
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Pepperdine frequently hosts Federalist Society events and speakers, serving as a primary pipeline for conservative judicial clerks, many of whom were appointed by the Trump administration.
Strongest Pro-MAGA
Pepperdine appointed Johnnie Moore , a former member of Donald Trump's Evangelical Advisory Board and a prominent pro-Trump figure, as a vice chancellor and head of its Washington, D.C. campus.
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Pepperdine frequently hosts Federalist Society events and speakers, serving as a primary pipeline for conservative judicial clerks, many of whom were appointed by the Trump administration.
Notes: Pepperdine is consistently ranked as one of the most conservative-friendly law schools.
The university's role in cultivating the legal talent that staffed the Trump judiciary is a significant institutional contribution to the MAGA movement's long-term goals.
Pepperdine appointed Johnnie Moore, a former member of Donald Trump's Evangelical Advisory Board and a prominent pro-Trump figure, as a vice chancellor and head of its Washington, D.C. campus.
Notes: Moore is a key figure in MAGA-aligned religious circles.
The appointment of a high-profile Trump advisor to lead the university's D.C. presence is a strong signal of alignment with MAGA-adjacent leadership networks.
FEC records indicate that while the university itself does not donate, a significant portion of political contributions from individuals identifying Pepperdine as their employer go to Republican candidates and committees, including those aligned with Trump.
Notes: This contrasts with the overwhelming Democratic tilt of most California universities.
The donor profile of the university's employees provides a bottom-up signal of the institution's political culture, which is markedly more pro-MAGA/GOP than its peers.
Dean Pete Peterson has positioned the School of Public Policy as a hub for conservative thought, frequently appearing on conservative media to discuss 'viewpoint diversity' and criticizing progressive educational trends.
Notes: Peterson is a frequent contributor to the Wall Street Journal and other conservative outlets.
The School of Public Policy under Peterson acts as a bridge between traditional conservatism and MAGA-era policy critiques, particularly regarding 'woke' institutionalism.
Pepperdine's School of Public Policy has collaborated on events and research with The Heritage Foundation, a think tank that has become a central policy hub for the MAGA movement (Project 2025).
Notes: Events often focus on religious liberty and judicial appointments.
Institutional collaboration with the primary architects of the MAGA policy agenda indicates a high degree of ideological alignment.
John Eastman, a key legal architect of efforts to overturn the 2020 election for Donald Trump, was a long-time professor and former dean at Pepperdine's Caruso School of Law.
Notes: Eastman retired from Pepperdine shortly after the January 6 Capitol riot following significant internal and external pressure.
While the university eventually distanced itself, Eastman's long-standing tenure and leadership role provided a platform for the legal theories central to the MAGA movement's 2020 election challenges.
Conservative commentator and former Nixon/Ford speechwriter Ben Stein has been a long-time adjunct professor at Pepperdine, frequently using his platform to support Trump-era economic policies.
Notes: Stein has been a vocal supporter of many MAGA economic tenets.
Maintaining high-profile conservative faculty who are active in the MAGA media ecosystem reinforces the university's alignment with those political circles.