Latest news with #DEI
CNN
an hour ago
- Health
- CNN
Trump administration freezes $108 million for Duke Health after accusing university of ‘systemic racial discrimination'
The Trump administration has frozen $108 million in federal funding for Duke Health, according to a senior administration official, after asserting a day earlier it was investigating 'systemic racial discrimination' in the university's healthcare system. The federal funding encompasses Duke University School of Medicine and the overall health research and health care system at Duke. The freeze, first reported by Fox News, comes one day after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Education Secretary Linda McMahon sent a letter to top Duke officials expressing concerns about 'racial preferences in hiring, student admissions, governance, patient care, and other operations.' Those officials included Duke University President Vincent Price, board Chairman Adam Silver, and Duke Medicine Dean Mary Klotman. The letter states that the administration has been made aware of allegations that Duke University and Duke Health are not in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on race and nationality in programs receiving federal funding. It calls for Duke Health to 'review all policies and practices … for the illegal use of race preferences.' It also calls on Duke to create a 'Merit and Civil Rights Committee' to work with the federal government. The $108 million cut could be permanent, the official said, if Duke does not comply and is found to be in violation of Title VI. Duke Health did not immediately respond to CNN's request for comment. Trump has been making good on a key campaign promise in his second term as he's worked to eliminate programs that boost diversity. The Trump administration contends that diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, 'creates and then amplifies prejudicial hostility and exacerbates interpersonal conflict.' After Trump issued a series of expansive executive orders banning DEI programs, the Department of Education in February threatened the federal funding of any academic institution engaging in DEI initiatives. That prompted many universities to scrub DEI mentions from websites, shutter programs and some to lose scholarship funding. Proponents of DEI have criticized the moves, saying many initiatives are beneficial. Studies have shown college students exposed to more diversity have greater levels of cultural awareness and political participation. The funding freeze comes as Duke and other major universities are experiencing heightened pressure due to cuts in grant programs at the National Institutes of Health. Duke has initiated a voluntary separation incentive and layoffs are expected to begin in August, according to the Duke Chronicle.
Axios
an hour ago
- Business
- Axios
Trump's billion-dollar settlement spree
President Trump has extracted more than $1.2 billion in settlements from 13 of the most powerful players in academia, law, media and tech, according to an Axios analysis. If finalized, a potential $500 million deal with Harvard would represent the largest scalp to date. Why it matters: America's most elite institutions have largely succumbed to the Trump administration's cultural crackdown, opting to pay up — often to the tune of tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars — rather than fight back. Trump officials frame the settlements as accountability for society's liberal power centers, which they say have been captured by leftist ideology, corrupted by DEI and complicit in antisemitism. Critics say the deals — some of which include direct payments or pro bono legal work for Trump's pet causes — amount to legalized extortion by the federal government. Zoom in: Harvard has expressed a willingness to spend up to $500 million to settle its dispute with the White House, which has accused the university of civil rights violations tied to antisemitism and DEI policies, the New York Times reports. Harvard sued in April after the administration began freezing billions of dollars in federal research funding, insisting it would "not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights." The potential settlement would be more than double the $221 million fine agreed to by Columbia last week, though Harvard is reportedly reluctant to pay the government directly or allow an outside monitor to oversee the deal. The big picture: Trump's coercion of elite institutions — as both president and plaintiff — extends far beyond college campuses. Big Law: At least nine major firms — targeted for their DEI programs or ties to Trump's political enemies — have agreed to settlements, offering between $40 million and $125 million in free legal services to preserve their access to the federal government. Paramount: The CBS parent company paid $16 million this month to settle Trump's lawsuit over the editing of a " 60 Minutes" interview with Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 campaign. The deal cleared the way for the FCC to approve Paramount's $8 billion merger with Skydance, triggering major backlash from Democrats and press freedom activists. Disney: ABC's parent company agreed in December to pay $16 million — primarily directed to Trump's future presidential foundation and museum — to settle a defamation lawsuit the president filed against anchor George Stephanopoulos. Meta: The tech giant paid Trump $25 million in January to settle a 2021 lawsuit that accused the company of violating his First Amendment rights by banning him from Facebook and Instagram after the Jan. 6 Capitol attack. Between the lines: The few law firms that chose to fight Trump's executive orders have largely prevailed in court so far, suggesting capitulation is not the only viable path forward. Just last week, a federal judge cast serious doubt on Trump's targeting of Harvard — questioning the constitutionality of cutting off research funding over alleged antisemitism and warning of "staggering" due process concerns. What they're saying:"President Trump, the most consequential dealmaker behind the Resolute Desk, has, since day one, crafted tailor-made deals that prioritize America, its people, its enterprises, and common sense," White House spokesman Harrison Fields said in a statement. "Considering the level of buy-in from our allies and industry, no one can dispute the success." What to watch: Trump officials see Columbia's settlement as a playbook for negotiations with other universities, one that combines financial penalties with internal policy changes and external oversight.
USA Today
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Sydney Sweeney's jeans ad triggers liberals. She looks good. They don't.
Sales revenue from the new 'Sydney Jean' will benefit a crisis phone line. Instead of focusing on the positive, liberals have attacked actress Sydney Sweeney and American Eagle. Actress Sydney Sweeney and I share a few things. We're both blonde (mine is natural; I'm not sure about hers). We have blue eyes. We have the same birthday. And we were born in the Pacific Northwest − she in Washington, I in Oregon. Sadly for me, that's where the similarities end. And it's why I work for a newspaper and Sweeney is on the big screen. Sweeney is beautiful in a classic girl-next-door kind of way. No wonder American Eagle recently chose the 27-year-old to star in some sexy new ads for the clothing company's jeans. The advertising campaign showcases Sweeney's 'great jeans,' with a playful reference to her 'genes.' She clearly was gifted with good ones. 'Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color,' Sweeney says in one ad. 'My jeans are blue.' It's clever and fun. So why am I even talking about this? Because liberals have lost their minds over it, accusing both American Eagle and Sweeney of sending a racist message. Some have outright called the ads 'Nazi propaganda' and an example of 'White supremacy.' It's a ridiculous overreaction to an advertisement featuring a successful, attractive celebrity. And it's the latest example of how the left refuses to let go of their woke agenda and identity politics, which were soundly rejected in the 2024 election. Leno's right: Colbert got canned because Americans are tired of left's lectures | Opinion Is Sydney Sweeney's jeans ad 'tone-deaf'? Not at all. After American Eagle announced its collaboration with Sweeney on July 23, its stock jumped, signaling the market understood this was a smart move. 'Sweeney's girl next door charm and main character energy − paired with her ability to not take herself too seriously − is the hallmark of this bold, playful campaign,' American Eagle wrote on its website. The fall campaign features 'The Sydney Jean,' created in partnership with Sweeney. All the revenue from the sales will be donated to the Crisis Text Line, which offers free mental health support. Rather than focus on the positive, however, progressives turned to mob mode, calling names and threatening to boycott the company and Sweeney. 'During a time when DEI is under attack and there are mass deportations occurring daily, an ad campaign centered on how awesome it is to be white and blonde-haired and blue-eyed reads as rather tone-deaf,' a writer for Vulture muses. Vanity Fair asks, 'Does Sydney Sweeney have 'great jeans,' or has the American Eagle brand simply had a very, very bad idea?' while noting that the campaign is 'based around a play on words that may seem harmless − but has been criticized by onlookers who see a sinister message lurking beneath the pun.' Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don't have the app? Download it for free from your app store. Yet, that same Vulture article also mentions how Sweeney's ad campaign is a direct nod to one Brooke Shields did for Calvin Klein in the 1980s. Americans are sick of DEI. Sweeney's ad signals a reset. Maybe the American Eagle-Sweeney collaboration is simply a throwback and not eugenics-promoting? In a recent interview with NPR, former Biden Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg (and rumored 2028 Democratic presidential contender) acknowledged that Democrats have been 'slow to understand some of the cultural changes that have been happening.' 'I think there's a perception that Democrats became so focused on identity that we no longer had a message that could actually speak to people across the board, or that we were only for you if you fit into a certain identity bucket,' Buttigieg said. That's exactly what Democrats have done, focusing on race and gender identity to the point that it's ostracized a large number of voters. Opinion: Democrats waste $20 million to learn why they lost men. Here's my free advice. Whether progressives want to admit it, the country is still majority White and these Americans are tired of being made to feel evil or unworthy simply because of their immutable characteristics. No one should be made to feel that way. Companies and colleges are starting to roll back their diversity, equality and inclusion adherence that has felt oppressive in recent years and led to more division – not less. Sweeney is a young woman who's capitalizing on her good looks and charm. Good for her. And good for American Eagle for bucking the DEI trend. Ingrid Jacques is a columnist at USA TODAY. Contact her at ijacques@ or on X: @Ingrid_Jacques You can read diverse opinions from our USA TODAY columnists and other writers on the Opinion front page, on X, formerly Twitter, @usatodayopinion and in our Opinion newsletter.
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Some North Carolina Democratic lawmakers break from party to pass Republican priorities
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Republican lawmakers on Tuesday overrode several vetoes by Democratic Gov. Josh Stein, getting just enough votes from Stein's own party to enact some laws while falling short on others. The votes were key tests for Republican General Assembly leaders since they narrowly lost their veto-proof majority following last fall's elections. Both chambers enacted eight of 14 vetoed measures to further their conservative agenda, including laws that target transgender rights, allow firearms on private school property and eliminate an interim greenhouse gas reduction mandate. The GOP is one seat shy in the House of overcoming vetoes at will. Lawmakers were able to convince anywhere from one to three House Democrats to override on some measures. 'It depends on what the issue is, but on most issues, we're going to have a working supermajority,' House Speaker Destin Hall told reporters after session. Democratic leaders managed to keep intact other vetoes issued by Stein, meaning GOP goals to let adults carry concealed handguns without a permit and eliminate DEI initiatives are derailed for now. Republicans "didn't override them all. I mean, we might come back and override them if they have the numbers," Democratic Rep. Pricey Harrison said after Tuesday's session. 'It's a heck of a way to do policy.' Possible Democratic victory on transgender bill ends in defeat House Democrats weren't able to uphold the governor's veto on a bill targeting transgender people when one of their party members broke ranks. The legislation initially ran as a bipartisan measure curbing sexual exploitation of women and minors on pornography websites. But several contentious provisions were tacked on later, such as recognizing only two sexes and preventing state-funded gender transition procedures for prisoners. Freshman Democratic Rep. Dante Pittman voted for the measure in June but on Tuesday sided with Stein's veto instead. Another Democrat, Rep. Nasif Majeed, sided with Republicans to override Stein's veto. 'I had some moral issues about that and I had to lean on my values,' Majeed told reporters of the bill after the vote. DEI bills blocked for now In one of their biggest victories, Democrats blocked three bills that would have restricted diversity, equity and inclusion programs across the state by staying unified in their opposition. Two of the bills would bar certain 'divisive concepts' and 'discriminatory practices' related to race and identity in K-12 schools, public universities and community colleges. The third bill would ban state agencies from implementing diversity, equity and inclusion programs or utilizing DEI in hiring practices. Hall told reporters he expects the chamber will overcome the remaining vetoes, such as the DEI bills, at some point. 'If people are out and the numbers are there, we're going to vote to override,' Hall said. Mixed results on guns and immigration Republican lawmakers fervently prioritized legislation on guns and immigration this session, but in some cases, they couldn't complete that agenda Tuesday. A vetoed bill allowing permitless concealed carry for eligible people over the age of 18 wasn't heard in the House. That bill already faced an uphill battle after two Republicans voted against it with Democrats last month. House Republicans also failed to call a vote on vetoed legislation that would require several state law enforcement agencies to engage in the Trump administration's immigration crackdown by formally cooperating with federal agents. Other legislation on guns and immigration followed the pathway to becoming law. A bill that allows certain people to carry firearms onto private school property with administrative permission passed with support of a Democrat. Another Democrat's support also pushed through a separate immigration measure expanding the offenses that would require a local sheriff to check a detained person's legal status in the country. Interim greenhouse gas mandate gets repealed Enough Democrats joined Republicans in overriding Stein's veto of legislation that largely addressed activities of Duke Energy, the state's dominant electric utility. The new law in part repeals a portion of a bipartisan 2021 law that told electric regulators to work toward reducing carbon dioxide output 70% from 2005 levels by 2030. A directive in the 2021 law to meet a carbon neutrality standard by 2050 is still in place. Republicans said the 70% reduction mandate was unnecessary and if eliminated would moderate electricity rate increases required to meet the 2050 standard by allowing use of less expensive power sources. Stein and environmental groups opposed the measure, saying that eliminating the 2030 standard and other provisions will result in higher consumer rates by having utilities rely more more on natural gas to generate electricity.
Winnipeg Free Press
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Some North Carolina Democratic lawmakers break from party to pass Republican priorities
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Republican lawmakers on Tuesday overrode several vetoes by Democratic Gov. Josh Stein, getting just enough votes from Stein's own party to enact some laws while falling short on others. The votes were key tests for Republican General Assembly leaders since they narrowly lost their veto-proof majority following last fall's elections. Both chambers enacted eight of 14 vetoed measures to further their conservative agenda, including laws that target transgender rights, allow firearms on private school property and eliminate an interim greenhouse gas reduction mandate. The GOP is one seat shy in the House of overcoming vetoes at will. Lawmakers were able to convince anywhere from one to three House Democrats to override on some measures. 'It depends on what the issue is, but on most issues, we're going to have a working supermajority,' House Speaker Destin Hall told reporters after session. Democratic leaders managed to keep intact other vetoes issued by Stein, meaning GOP goals to let adults carry concealed handguns without a permit and eliminate DEI initiatives are derailed for now. Republicans 'didn't override them all. I mean, we might come back and override them if they have the numbers,' Democratic Rep. Pricey Harrison said after Tuesday's session. 'It's a heck of a way to do policy.' Possible Democratic victory on transgender bill ends in defeat House Democrats weren't able to uphold the governor's veto on a bill targeting transgender people when one of their party members broke ranks. The legislation initially ran as a bipartisan measure curbing sexual exploitation of women and minors on pornography websites. But several contentious provisions were tacked on later, such as recognizing only two sexes and preventing state-funded gender transition procedures for prisoners. Freshman Democratic Rep. Dante Pittman voted for the measure in June but on Tuesday sided with Stein's veto instead. Another Democrat, Rep. Nasif Majeed, sided with Republicans to override Stein's veto. 'I had some moral issues about that and I had to lean on my values,' Majeed told reporters of the bill after the vote. DEI bills blocked for now In one of their biggest victories, Democrats blocked three bills that would have restricted diversity, equity and inclusion programs across the state by staying unified in their opposition. Two of the bills would bar certain 'divisive concepts' and 'discriminatory practices' related to race and identity in K-12 schools, public universities and community colleges. The third bill would ban state agencies from implementing diversity, equity and inclusion programs or utilizing DEI in hiring practices. Hall told reporters he expects the chamber will overcome the remaining vetoes, such as the DEI bills, at some point. 'If people are out and the numbers are there, we're going to vote to override,' Hall said. Mixed results on guns and immigration Republican lawmakers fervently prioritized legislation on guns and immigration this session, but in some cases, they couldn't complete that agenda Tuesday. A vetoed bill allowing permitless concealed carry for eligible people over the age of 18 wasn't heard in the House. That bill already faced an uphill battle after two Republicans voted against it with Democrats last month. House Republicans also failed to call a vote on vetoed legislation that would require several state law enforcement agencies to engage in the Trump administration's immigration crackdown by formally cooperating with federal agents. Other legislation on guns and immigration followed the pathway to becoming law. A bill that allows certain people to carry firearms onto private school property with administrative permission passed with support of a Democrat. Another Democrat's support also pushed through a separate immigration measure expanding the offenses that would require a local sheriff to check a detained person's legal status in the country. Interim greenhouse gas mandate gets repealed Enough Democrats joined Republicans in overriding Stein's veto of legislation that largely addressed activities of Duke Energy, the state's dominant electric utility. The new law in part repeals a portion of a bipartisan 2021 law that told electric regulators to work toward reducing carbon dioxide output 70% from 2005 levels by 2030. A directive in the 2021 law to meet a carbon neutrality standard by 2050 is still in place. Republicans said the 70% reduction mandate was unnecessary and if eliminated would moderate electricity rate increases required to meet the 2050 standard by allowing use of less expensive power sources. Stein and environmental groups opposed the measure, saying that eliminating the 2030 standard and other provisions will result in higher consumer rates by having utilities rely more more on natural gas to generate electricity.
