Trump’s push against DEI intensifies as the Education Department now threatens to cut state funding for all institutions with DEI programs

The Department of Education has sent a threatening letter to the heads of its 4,000 employees nationwide. The message is clear: If any school in the country “considers race” in its operations, it will lose access to federal funding.

President Donald Trump has been finalizing his sweeping plan to dismantle the Education Department and transfer its authority back to the states, but until then, it seems his administration will delay those autonomy proposals to ensure DEI is eradicated first. The stated goal with that move is to apparently end the indoctrination of children in kindergarten.

Deep into his 2024 election campaign in July, Trump first mentioned his plan to impose fines on any school incorporating aspects of “critical race theory” or “gender ideology” in its curriculum. He not only promised to cut funding for such institutions but also claimed that the Department of Education had been infiltrated by “radicals.” So, it’s no surprise that, according to CNN, the agency now plans to strip funding from any institution that considers race “in decisions pertaining to admissions, hiring, promotion, compensation, financial aid, scholarships, prizes, administrative support, discipline, housing, graduation ceremonies, and all other aspects of student, academic, and campus life,” according to Craig Trainor, the acting secretary of civil rights in the Department of Education. CNN correctly points out that these stringent rules could impact Black fraternities and sororities.

In the letter, Trainor also argued that DEI policies favor certain races and burden specific students with moral responsibilities. Educators, however, are not taking these accusations lightly. The American Federation of Teachers is already pushing back, releasing a memo stating that presidents cannot arbitrarily dictate what is taught in schools and colleges.

The letter gave schools and colleges two weeks to fully implement the policy. The Department of Education is justifying its stance by citing Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, the landmark Supreme Court case that severely weakened affirmative action. According to Politico, Trainor declared that the administration’s broad interpretation of the ruling now deems it illegal to treat students differently in pursuit of what it calls “nebulous” goals like racial equality.

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has already sent nearly 100 Department of Education employees working in roles related to diversity in learning institutions on indefinite leave. If Trump succeeds in dismantling the department altogether, DOGE will undoubtedly be involved. Elon Musk has been uncharacteristically silent on this move — though, somewhat unsurprisingly, he seems to only target agencies that have investigated him. The Trump Administration did, however, confirm that if ever a conflict of interest arises, Elon Musk would recuse himself.

The notion that there can be “too much” historical context on humanity’s complicated past is difficult to defend — especially in a month when Kanye West has been stoking dangerous sentiments among his young, impressionable audience. But educators have refused to back down, making it highly likely the Trump administration’s policies will face legal challenges. Sowing division has long been a hallmark of Trump’s leadership, and, sadly, despite these moves teetering on the edge of racial insensitivity at best, they are gradually becoming the norm.