Trump 'Reverse Discrimination' Claims Drive DOJ Civil Rights Shift Targeting State Affirmative-Action and DEI Policies
President Trump’s assertion that civil‑rights laws have “very badly” harmed White people has coincided with a shift at the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division toward challenging state affirmative‑action and DEI policies, including a June inquiry into Rhode Island’s long‑standing hiring plan and a lawsuit against Minnesota’s statutory affirmative‑action civil‑service requirements. DOJ officials say there are “dozens of active investigations” into alleged illegal discrimination tied to DEI, while former Civil Rights Division attorney Jen Swedish calls the division politicized and NAACP President Derrick Johnson rejects the administration’s “reverse‑discrimination” narrative as false and misleading.
📌 Key Facts
- The DOJ Civil Rights Division has opened investigations and brought legal actions targeting state affirmative‑action and DEI policies, including a June inquiry to Rhode Island about its long‑standing affirmative‑action hiring plan and a lawsuit against Minnesota alleging its statutory affirmative‑action civil‑service requirements violate Title VII and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
- A DOJ spokesperson told CBS the department has "dozens of active investigations" into alleged illegal discrimination "adopted under the guise of diversity, equity, and inclusion," some of which are public and some not.
- These enforcement moves reflect a shift under the Trump administration centered on claims of "reverse discrimination" and increased scrutiny of state affirmative‑action and DEI programs.
- Former Civil Rights Division attorney Jen Swedish said the division is "acting on the president's notion that civil rights laws have harmed White people" and described the DOJ as "no longer independent from the White House."
- NAACP President Derrick Johnson condemned Trump’s reverse‑discrimination narrative as "patently false," accusing him of misleading the public about civil‑rights history.
📊 Relevant Data
In Rhode Island, the state population is approximately 71.1% White (non-Hispanic), 16.3% Hispanic or Latino, 5.7% Black or African American, and 3.6% Asian as of 2023, providing a baseline for assessing representation in state government hiring.
Rhode Island | Data USA — Data USA
In Minnesota, the state population is approximately 77.5% White, 7% Black, 5.6% Asian, and 6% Hispanic or Latino as of 2023, serving as a reference for evaluating affirmative action in state civil service hiring.
Demographics of Minnesota - Wikipedia — Wikipedia
In the federal workforce, White employees comprise 61.2% of the total, Black or African American 18.2%, Hispanic 9.5%, Asian 7.2%, and other groups smaller shares as of recent data, indicating racial composition in government employment.
Three charts on diversity in the federal government's workforce — USA Facts
Educational attainment rates for adults aged 25-44 in Minnesota show 61.3% for White individuals holding an associate degree or higher, compared to 51.3% for those identifying as two or more races, 43.2% for Black individuals, and lower for other groups as of 2025 projections.
Educating for the Future 2025 — Minnesota Office of Higher Education
In Rhode Island, educational attainment of associate or higher degrees decreased for Black residents from 34.7% in 2021 to 31% in 2022, while overall state trends showed increases in four-year degrees.
More Rhode Islanders are earning four-year college degrees — Rhode Island Current
Studies show racial disparities in social work clinical exam pass rates, with White test-takers passing at 84% on the first try compared to 45% for Black test-takers as of 2022 data, relevant to civil service qualification exams.
Social Worker Exam Results Reveal Racial Disparities | The Imprint — The Imprint
📊 Analysis & Commentary (1)
"A City Journal opinion piece arguing that modern DEI and race‑conscious government and institutional policies amount to systematic discrimination against white men, endorsing legal and administrative rollbacks (like the DOJ’s shift) as corrective measures to restore formal equal‑protection."
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- DOJ Civil Rights Division sent a June inquiry letter to Rhode Island officials investigating whether the state’s long‑standing affirmative‑action hiring plan for state government violates federal civil‑rights laws.
- The Trump administration’s DOJ has filed a lawsuit against Minnesota alleging the state’s statutory affirmative‑action requirements for civil service hiring violate Title VII and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
- A DOJ spokesperson told CBS the department has 'dozens of active investigations' into alleged illegal discrimination 'adopted under the guise of diversity, equity, and inclusion,' some public and some not.
- Former Civil Rights Division attorney Jen Swedish says the division is 'acting on the president's notion that civil rights laws have harmed White people' and describes DOJ as 'no longer independent from the White House.'
- NAACP President Derrick Johnson is quoted condemning Trump’s reverse‑discrimination narrative as 'patently false' and accusing him of misleading the public about civil‑rights history.