Trump administration gives schools two weeks to end DEI programmes or risk losing federal funding
The Trump administration has issued an ultimatum to schools and universities across the United States, demanding that they eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives within a fortnight or risk losing federal funding. The move escalates president Donald Trump’s ongoing battle against what he calls “wokeness” in education.
In a memo released on Friday, the department of Education instructed institutions to cease using “racial preferences” in admissions, financial aid, hiring, or any other areas. Schools now have 14 days to dismantle any policies that treat students or staff differently based on race. The directive has sent educators nationwide scrambling to assess their risk and decide whether to comply or defend practices they believe are legally sound. The sweeping mandate could affect everything from college application essays to course content and student organisations.
The memo asserts that these measures are necessary to rectify widespread discrimination in education, particularly against white and Asian students.
“Schools have been operating under the pretence that selecting students for ‘diversity’ or similar euphemisms is not selecting them based on race,” said craig trainor, acting assistant secretary for civil rights. “No longer. Students should be assessed according to merit, accomplishment, and character.”
The guidance has sparked a backlash from civil rights and university groups. Critics argue that its vague language is designed to intimidate schools into abandoning any initiatives related to race, even those that may be legally defensible.
“Creating a sense of risk around efforts to promote diverse and inclusive campuses is more of the goal here than providing a clear statement of existing law,” said Jonathan Fansmith, Senior Vice President of Government Relations at the American Council on Education, an association representing college presidents.
The directive builds upon a previous executive order signed by President Trump, which banned DEI programmes in government institutions. The administration justifies the latest move by citing the 2023 Supreme Court ruling that barred race-based considerations in college admissions.
“Put simply, educational institutions may neither separate nor segregate students based on race, nor distribute benefits or burdens based on race,” the memo states.
On Monday, the department of Education also announced a cut of $600 million in grants to organisations that train teachers, citing their promotion of “divisive” concepts such as DEI, critical race theory, and social justice activism.
Confusion regarding the implications of Trump’s anti-DEI policy was evident during last week’s confirmation hearing for education secretary nominee Linda McMahon. When asked whether classes on african american history would violate the president’s directive, McMahon admitted uncertainty.
The school superintendents association has advised its members that the new guidance is not legally binding and that any funding cuts would require lengthy investigations.
“We’re not convinced that school districts should take any immediate action beyond reviewing the guidance, consulting their legal counsel, and considering community perspectives on existing programmes,” said Sasha Pudelski, the association’s Director of Advocacy.
The memo also explicitly targets university admissions practices, suggesting that some institutions have attempted to circumvent the supreme court’s ruling. Notably, it declares that college application essays cannot be used to infer an applicant’s race, even though Chief Justice John Roberts previously stated that students could discuss how race has influenced their lives in their essays.
Additionally, the guidance warns against the elimination of standardised testing requirements “to achieve a desired racial balance or increase racial diversity.” In recent years, many universities have dropped SAT and ACT requirements, citing concerns that the exams disproportionately favour students from affluent backgrounds.
Longstanding recruitment strategies may now also come under legal scrutiny, including outreach efforts in underrepresented areas and the purchase of student lists that contain demographic information.
“Colleges and universities are going to find themselves between a rock and a hard place,” said Angel B. Pérez, CEO of the national association for college admission counseling. “They know their actions are not illegal, but they fear that defying the administration could cost them vital federal funding.”
Some institutions anticipate minimal impact. Oregon State University, for example, conducted a legal review and determined that its programmes “are fully compliant with all state and federal laws,” according to a campus-wide statement from Rob Odom, Vice President of University Relations and Marketing.
The memo also appears to challenge scholarships designated for students from specific racial backgrounds. The extent to which the supreme court ruling applies to financial aid remains under legal debate, with some institutions already removing racial requirements from their scholarships.
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The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators noted that there is no consensus on the matter and is currently evaluating the potential ramifications of the memo.
“The last thing students need when planning how to finance their education is uncertainty about whether they will receive the financial aid they were counting on,” the association said in a statement.
President Trump has repeatedly called for the abolition of the Department of Education. Meanwhile, Elon Musk’s newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has aggressively cut dozens of contracts deemed wasteful.
On Monday, the DOGE team secured a legal victory when a federal judge ruled against a challenge from the University of California Student Association, which had attempted to block the department from accessing federal student loan records. The judge concluded that the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate how DOGE’s access to the data would harm them.
With the Trump administration intensifying its crackdown on DEI initiatives, universities now face an urgent choice: comply with the directive or risk losing essential federal funding—a decision that could reshape the landscape of American education.
