Trump's Ban On DEI Programs Allowed For Now By Appeals Court

A U.S. appeals court has permitted the Trump administration to temporarily enforce a ban on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs within federal agencies and businesses holding government contracts.

What Happened : A U.S. appeals court has allowed the Trump administration to temporarily enforce a ban on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs at federal agencies and businesses with government contracts.



According to a Reuters report, the Richmond-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Friday that President Donald Trump ‘s directives, including an order for the Department of Justice to investigate DEI policies, are likely constitutional.

This decision overturns a previous ruling by a Maryland federal judge. Two judges on the panel expressed disagreement with the substance of Trump’s orders, cautioning that implementing them might risk constitutional violations. Circuit Judge Albert Diaz stated that DEI advocates deserve praise, while Circuit Judge Allison Rushing emphasized that personal opinions on DEI should not influence the case’s outcome.

The decision affected a lawsuit filed by the city of Baltimore and three groups, which remained in effect pending the Trump administration’s appeal. The White House and Justice Department have not commented, while Democracy Forward, representing the plaintiffs, is reviewing the decision. Trump’s orders aim to eliminate DEI initiatives, which he argues are discriminatory, from both government and private sectors.

Why It Matters : The ruling comes amid a broader political and policy shift affecting DEI initiatives. Recently, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) began cutting funding for research grants that do not align with agency priorities, specifically targeting studies on transgender populations and DEI. Additionally, in January, President Trump controversially linked DEI policies to a tragic plane crash involving an American Airlines plane and an Army helicopter, which resulted in 67 fatalities.

This incident further fueled the administration’s stance against DEI, as Trump suggested that staffing and regulatory changes influenced by DEI could have contributed to the crash. Read Next: Canada's Retaliatory Tariffs Against US Draw Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's Ire Who Thinks They Are ‘Tone Deaf' Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. Photo courtesy: Shutterstock © 2025 Benzinga.

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