In his first week back in office, President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs across the executive branch and the broader United States. From anti-bias training to federal funding for minority farmers and homeowners, Trump’s order effectively dismantles such programs from all aspects of the federal government and affiliated parties. This move by Trump comes after Monday’s executive order accused former President Joe Biden of forcing “discrimination” programs into “virtually all aspects of the federal government” through DEI programs.
During his presidency, Biden mandated that all federal agencies develop DEI plans, issue annual progress reports, and provide data for a government-wide dashboard tracking demographic trends in hiring and promotions. His administration also established the Chief Diversity Officers Council to oversee the implementation of DEI plans—a council that Trump has now ordered to be disbanded.
Trump’s sweeping executive order, issued just one day after his inauguration, requires that all executive agencies and federally funded educational institutions terminate any race- or gender-based diversity programs, mandates, policies, preferences, and activities that could violate federal civil rights laws.
“Influential institutions of American society, including the Federal Government,” the document read, “… have adopted and actively use dangerous, demeaning, and immoral race- and sex-based preferences under the guise of so-called ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ (DEI) or ‘diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility’ (DEIA) that can violate the civil-rights laws of this Nation.”
Trump’s order asserts that DEI initiatives “not only violate the text and spirit of our longstanding Federal civil-rights laws, but also undermine our national unity.” The order does not specify exactly which programs it targets but mandates a government-wide review to ensure that contracts and grants comply with the Trump administration’s anti-DEI stance.
Extending his reach beyond just government-funded subsidiaries, Trump instructed all federal agencies to each identify up to nine corporations, large non-profit groups, or institutions of higher education with endowments that exceed $1 billion whose diversity policies violated civil rights laws. However, even without direct federal demand, companies like Walmart and Facebook have already reportedly scaled back or ended some of their diversity initiatives.
DEI laws and programs have been under attack for years by the Republican political agenda who contend that such measures and practices threaten merit-based hiring, promotion, and educational opportunities. In 2023, conservatives achieved a long-sought-after win when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against affirmative action programs in higher education, determining that race-based admissions practices are unconstitutional.
Late this past Tuesday, President Donald Trump issued an executive order challenging DEI practices and programming at colleges and universities in the United States. The order directed Pam Bondi, his nominee for attorney general, to consider federal litigation and regulatory action to ensure widespread compliance in the reduction and elimination of DEI programs at companies and universities. Trump also instructed Bondi, in addition to Linda McMahon, his nominee for Secretary of Education, to provide guidance within 120 days to all state and local educational agencies on complying with the 2023 Supreme Court ruling.
Throughout his campaign, Trump had reiterated his opposition to elite educational institutions, particularly Harvard, threatening to impose higher taxes on its endowment and cut federal funding.
In the order, Trump maintains this agenda: “Institutions of higher education have adopted and actively use dangerous, demeaning, and immoral race-and sex-based preferences under the guise of so-called ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion.’” While the order does not prevent institutions of higher education, like Harvard, from discussing or teaching about diversity or issues related race and gender as a part of academic coursework, the immediate nature of this challenge to diversity initiatives on college campuses is indicative of the force and aggression to which Trump’s administration seeks to dismantle.
However, given the University’s $53 billion endowment and vast diversity office, it’s likely the school will be a target. Each of Harvard’s schools has its own office dedicated to equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging.
At this point in time, no court has declared DEI efforts inherently illegal, and President Trump is not able to override decades of legal precedent. While many of Trump’s changes may take months or even years to implement, his administration seeks to dismantle the decades of policies and laws committed to strengthening DEI practices around the country.
Rania Jones ’27 (rjones@college.harvard.edu) is the Forum Editor of the Harvard Independent.