US EPA administrator says he canceled DEI grants totaling $1.7 billion

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By Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin said on Monday he canceled 400 environmental justice and diversity, equity and inclusion grants totaling $1.7 billion in the Trump administration’s latest crackdown on DEI initiatives.

The EPA did not immediately respond to a request for comment on details about the cancellation.

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT

Since taking office on January 20, Republican President Donald Trump has passed executive orders aimed at dismantling DEI in the government and private sector.

The so-called Department of Government Efficiency, under the directive of Trump ally and billionaire Elon Musk, has taken steps to cut spending and staffing related to DEI initiatives.

KEY QUOTES

“I am cancelling over 400 DEI and Environmental Justice grants across 9 grant programs totaling $1.7 billion, bringing EPA’s total savings to over $2 billion,” Zeldin said on X.

“This fourth round of EPA/ @DOGE cuts was our biggest yet,” he said.

CONTEXT

DEI programs have been part of workplace diversity efforts to ensure fairer representation for groups seen as historically marginalized, such as African Americans, LGBTQ+ community members, women, disabled people and other ethnic minorities in the United States.

Civil rights advocates say DEI efforts help uplift marginalized groups and address the continued effects of historical and generational inequity. Trump and his allies say DEI unfairly discriminates against other Americans, including white people and men.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)