Trump Cabinet Ends DEI Programs, Pushes Education Control to States

President Donald Trump and senior officials used a Cabinet meeting on 26 August to outline a broad shift away from diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives across federal agencies and to promote a return of primary and secondary education oversight to state and local authorities. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Pentagon—described as the nation’s largest employer—will now operate on a “merit-based, gender-neutral, color-blind” system, declaring that decades of what he called social-justice and political-correctness policies are being ended. Education Secretary McMahon said states are “being innovative” in expanding hands-on learning and career pathways, adding that enabling parents and local school boards to steer curricula is “one of the most important” actions the administration is taking. Other department heads echoed the theme. Housing and Urban Development officials spoke of highlighting the “dignity of work,” while Transportation Secretary Duffy said his agency has eliminated DEI and certain environmental criteria to accelerate infrastructure projects and put “the great American worker back to work.”