Trump's Executive Order Challenges DEI Initiatives (Full Transcript)

Speaker 1: And with the stroke of a pen, millions of federal employees working for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, or DEI, are on paid leave now, and their futures are uncertain. Just one more win for President Trump's war on woke, his executive orders blowing up government as we know it, now dismantling federal diversity programs. And sources say that Trump went even further, that federal employees will face adverse consequences if they don't report and write out co-workers on DEI initiatives. For more on the impact of this order, let's bring in Professor David Canton, he's the director of the African American Studies Program at the University of Florida. Good to see you, Professor Canton. You know, it's not just Trump, but companies, universities, including your university, have done away with DEI. What's behind this backlash? Well, thank you.

Speaker 2: Thanks for having me. Obviously, the backlash is behind years of misinformation about diversity, equity, inclusion and affirmative action. The reality is, we know that affirmative action has benefited white women the most and other marginalized groups. But there's a perception that now there's reverse racism, but when you look at the data, you see a whole different story. But unfortunately, people don't look at data, they respond to feelings, misperception and emotion.

Speaker 1: So, you worked at the University of Florida both before and after it eliminated DEI programs. What changes did you witness on campus?

Speaker 2: Well, there's been some changes to the curriculum, the general education curriculum, some courses that were removed from the GEC, in terms of some offices were closed. But our program, an academic program, we've managed to, you know, keep enrolling students and moving on. But I'd also like to add that the attack against federal workers, which is also a major part of this, because diversity is not only in higher education, but also with federal contracts. I think oftentimes that gets overlooked when we discuss affirmative action.

Speaker 1: Hmm. Well, in the email that was sent to those federal workers, it described these programs as dividing Americans by race, wasting taxpayer dollars and resulting in shameful discrimination. Why do you disagree with that?

Speaker 2: Because, right, so another myth. So again, the argument is that white people are facing discrimination and being discriminated against. When we look at the data, this country spends $759 billion in federal contracts. African-Americans with 14 percent of the population gets 1.7 percent, or $13 billion out of $759 billion. So what we're saying now, by removing these laws, based on meritocracy, black contracts will get more money. But the reality is that's not going to happen, because we know that historically most white large businesses are going to hire their friends, which usually tend to be white. So now we're going back to where we were pre-1965.

Speaker 1: And you're in contact with federal workers who will be impacted by this order. What are you hearing from them? What are they telling you?

Speaker 2: Well, there are some who work from home who may have purchased a home further outside of D.C. because it's affordable. Now they're concerned in terms of costs getting to and from work. There are obviously minority contractors now who are concerned. If they don't get the contracts, they have to lay people off. So you're going to see a big impact in terms of African-American—unemployment numbers may increase. And not because they don't want to work, it's because of these policies that are being put forth by the administration.

Speaker 1: Professor Canton, appreciate your insight. Thank you.