The Trump administration has escalated its efforts to eliminate DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) initiatives in higher education, warning universities that they could lose federal funding if they continue such programs. In a Dear Colleague letter issued by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) last Friday, Acting Assistant Secretary Craig Trainor asserted that DEI programs violate federal law by discriminating against students on the basis of race.
Trainor’s letter cited the 2023 Supreme Court decision that struck down affirmative action in college admissions, arguing that the ruling extends beyond admissions to hiring, financial aid, scholarships, and other aspects of university operations.
The move is part of a broader push by Trump, who has vowed to eradicate DEI programs from both federal agencies and entities that receive government funding. Conservative groups have increasingly targeted DEI initiatives, with lawsuits challenging race-specific scholarships and hiring programs.
The directive has drawn sharp criticism from academic organizations and civil rights groups. The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) condemned the administration’s actions as an unprecedented attack on equal opportunity and academic freedom. In a statement, the AAUP characterized the administration’s stance as an attempt to undermine decades of progress toward a more inclusive educational system.
“This wildly broad overreach is the latest blatant attempt by the Trump administration to punish educators, target communities of color, and undermine decades of hard-won progress toward a multiracial democracy,” the organization stated.
The National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE) and the AAUP have joined a lawsuit challenging the administration’s executive orders on DEI.
“In his crusade to erase diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility from our country, President Trump cannot usurp Congress’s exclusive power of the purse, nor can he silence those who disagree with him by threatening them with the loss of federal funds,” the lawsuit argues.
University leaders have also expressed concern that the administration’s policy will restrict their ability to foster inclusive learning environments. DEI initiatives, they argue, serve to address systemic disparities in higher education, ensuring that students from historically underrepresented backgrounds receive equitable opportunities.
While the administration has given institutions 14 days to demonstrate compliance with federal law, legal challenges and campus opposition are expected to mount in response to what many see as an overreach in federal authority.
