Pentagon Drops Controversial DEI Program Following Supreme Court Ruling

The Department of Defense (DoD) has been compelled to halt a controversial diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) program following a landmark Supreme Court ruling in 2023. The decision, which overturned affirmative action in the case of Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, has forced the DoD and its contracting partners to abandon discriminatory hiring practices targeting white and male students.

The Department of Defense had allocated nearly $760,000 in taxpayer money to the University of Missouri-Kansas City to establish a DEI career pipeline. This program explicitly prioritized students from "underserved and underrepresented cohorts" over white and male students to meet "equity-focused" objectives. However, the Supreme Court's ruling deemed such affirmative action policies unlawful, leading to an immediate revision of the program's criteria.

Key Developments:

• Program Revisions: Following the Supreme Court decision, the University of Missouri-Kansas City adjusted its internship criteria to comply with the ruling. The program now focuses on student qualifications like GPA and coursework, without consideration of race or gender.

• Wider DEI Initiatives: The DEI program at the University of Missouri-Kansas City is just one example of multiple contracts funded by the Department of Defense to promote the left-wing DEI agenda. Other initiatives include a $2 million contract for a DEI Action Plan and a $202,000 agreement with Cornell University for DEI training.

• RAND Corporation's Role: The RAND Corporation received funding from the Defense Department to guide the implementation of DEI policies within the Pentagon. RAND's report highlighted growing resistance to DEI efforts, coining terms like "diversity defiance" and "White fatigue," and advising caution against such opposition.

The Biden-Harris administration has actively integrated DEI principles throughout the federal government, from military branches to the wider bureaucracy. An investigation revealed that the Pentagon requested nearly $270 million in taxpayer funding for DEI initiatives between 2022 and 2024. President Joe Biden has also signed several executive orders to institutionalize DEI and facilitate gender transitions within government agencies.

However, the future of these policies could change drastically pending the results of the upcoming November elections. Former President Donald Trump has vowed to dismantle the DEI agenda if re-elected, promising to slash the federal bureaucracy and eliminate positions that oppose his policy goals.

As debates over DEI and its implications continue, the federal government's approach to these issues remains a hot-button topic. For further updates on this evolving situation, consider sharing this article or subscribing to our newsletter.