McMahon Warns Harvard Over DEI Programs
U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon has voiced strong concerns to Harvard University officials regarding their continued implementation of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, which she claims are in violation of federal law.
Since President Donald Trump took office in January 2025, ending DEI initiatives at colleges has been a main focus for his administration. He has signed executive orders specifically targeting institutions like Harvard.
On another front, Harvard is grappling with legal challenges: the Department of Education is investigating the university’s race-based admissions and allegations of antisemitism on campus, while the Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against Harvard for not properly discarding past admissions data.
In a recent episode of the New York Post‘s Pod Force One,
McMahon emphasized that the administration remains vigilant about what it perceives as illegal discrimination in higher education.
“Always having the potential for investigation and the threat of losing federal funding for research and programs is something they certainly have to consider,” McMahon noted.
The Biden administration has attempted to withdraw $2.2 billion in federal grants from Harvard, claiming the university has not upheld Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by failing to adequately safeguard Jewish students from antisemitism and harassment.
A federal judge later ruled that the funds should be reinstated, a decision the Trump administration is now challenging.
McMahon made it clear that the government isn’t looking to strip universities of essential research funds, but compliance with federal law is absolutely essential.
“We do not want to take away funding because our research universities contribute incredibly valuable research for the country,” she said. “But they must operate within the law to continue that work.”
She pointed out that in response to their efforts, a number of campuses have established civics institutes, focusing on teaching civics and the history of the country while moving away from ideology.
However, McMahon expressed doubt about the genuine nature of this progress. She noted that some institutions might simply be renaming DEI initiatives, rather than truly abandoning them.
“Objectively speaking, I suspect many have just changed the name and may have done just enough to meet the requirements for now,” she remarked.
Officials from the Trump administration have referenced schools like Columbia University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as successful examples that have rescinded their DEI initiatives following federal guidance.
Meanwhile, conservative legal organizations argue that Harvard still operates taxpayer-funded DEI programs, contrary to the directives from the administration.
McMahon, who previously served as president and CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), was appointed as the 13th Secretary of Education by Trump. She began her current role in March 2025 after leading the Small Business Administration from February 2017.
