Donald Trump's commitment to combat what he perceives as "anti-white sentiment" in the U.S. is likely to embolden supporters aiming to dismantle government and corporate initiatives designed to address racism and promote diversity in American society. Some prominent backers of the former president, now a 2024 Republican presidential candidate, argue that policies aimed at protecting people of color in educational settings, workplaces, and charitable organizations should be reoriented to safeguard the rights of white individuals as well.
"I believe there is a definite anti-white sentiment in this country," Trump stated in an interview with Time published on Tuesday. "I don't think it would be very difficult to address, frankly. But I think the laws are very unfair right now."
In the interview, Trump did not cite specific instances of anti-white bias or propose specific policy changes.
However, Trump's campaign website outlines several proposals, and some of his allies are offering detailed recommendations in the event of Trump's return to the White House, potentially following the November 5 election against Democrat Joe Biden.
One of Trump's proposals would reverse Biden's executive order mandating that federal agencies assess whether underserved communities - including people of color, LGBTQ Americans, and rural Americans - have adequate access to their programs. During campaign rallies, Trump pledges to withdraw funding from schools that teach critical race theory, an academic concept that is seldom part of public school curricula and asserts that racial bias is inherent in U.S. institutions.
One campaign advisor, Lynne Patton, stated in an interview posted on Friday with conservative activist and journalist Laura Loomer, that she anticipates a second Trump administration would withhold federal funds from schools, businesses, or charitable organizations that implement hiring practices under Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, widely recognized as DEI.
Advocates for rights strongly criticize any attempts to deny communities of color equal opportunities. They argue that the programs Trump seeks to dismantle exist to address centuries of documented inequalities.
"There has always been an ability to generate this kind of anxiety and frustration among many whites whenever an effort to level the playing field for non-whites has been successful in any way," stated Tricia Rose, director of the Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America at Brown University.
One of Trump's allies, Gene Hamilton, told Reuters that the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division must ensure that corporate programs aimed at enhancing workplace diversity are not themselves discriminatory.
Hamilton, who served in the Justice Department under Trump, suggests that the department could derive its authority from Section VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
Enacted during a period when Black Americans vigorously campaigned for civil rights, the act prohibits employment decisions based on "race, color, religion, sex, or national origin."
Hamilton argues that the act should also protect white individuals. For example, a hiring initiative designed to increase the number of people of color in the workplace should not exclude other applicants.
Such a focus would mark a significant departure from the Civil Rights Division's traditional role of safeguarding marginalized groups. In recent years, the division has conducted investigations into police departments for alleged racism against Black Americans and filed lawsuits against companies for discriminating against immigrants.
"Programs and policies... that deny benefits or employment to Americans solely because of their race or their sex or anything of the sort violate the central principle that has held the country together," stated Hamilton, who outlined his views in a policy book published by Project 2025, a consortium of think tanks supportive of Trump.
A POLICY PLAN FOR A SECOND TRUMP TERM
While the Trump campaign has distanced itself from the project, the consortium has drafted a policy plan for a potential Trump administration, involving many of the former president's allies.
In practice, official complaints of anti-white workplace discrimination appear to be uncommon.
For instance, only a small number of race-related complaints filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, an independent government agency, are submitted by white individuals, who constitute the majority of the American workforce.
Nevertheless, a majority of individuals who identified as Trump supporters believe that white Americans face discrimination. According to a March Reuters/Ipsos poll, 53% of self-identified Trump supporters believe that white people in the U.S. are discriminated against because of their race, compared to 14% of self-identified Biden supporters.
One chapter of Project 2025, co-authored by conservative economist and Trump advisor Stephen Moore, suggests that the Treasury Department should seek to terminate employees who willingly participate in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs.
The chapter does not specify which programs it considers to fall under DEI, but the term often implies a desire to enhance diversity and create a more inclusive workplace environment.
When asked about Trump's comments in Time magazine and the actions he would take to address anti-white bias, his campaign stated in a statement that Black and Hispanic Americans were more concerned with immigration, crime, and economic issues than racial matters.
"In his second term, President Trump will uplift all Americans regardless of race or religion," stated Patton, the campaign advisor.
In response to the Time interview, Biden's campaign argued that Trump's policies would make life more difficult for communities of color.
"Trump is making it clear that if he wins in November, he will turn his record of racism into official government policy, dismantling programs that provide economic opportunities to communities of color," stated Kevin Munoz, a campaign spokesperson.
In practice, some of the more radical proposals may be challenging - but not impossible - to implement, according to legal scholars.
For instance, while the protections of the Civil Rights Act apply to white individuals, the Justice Department often lacks the authority to sue private employers under Title VII.
However, there are several situations in which the Justice Department could intervene, according to Susan Carle, a professor at American University. One example could be cases where a company has contracts with the government, she said.
Patrice Willoughby, senior vice president at the NAACP, stated that the civil rights organization would be prepared to organize boycotts of companies that comply with attacks on equity programs.
"When necessary, we will not hesitate to use our economic power," she said.