Futures Edge Show: Finance Unfiltered with Jim Iuorio and Bob Iaccino

Wilfred Reilly: DEI Is Dead? The Truth About Culture Wars, Racism & American Institutions

Dec 11, 2025
Wilfred Reilly, a political science professor and provocative author, dives into the manufactured chaos of recent cultural phenomena. He connects the controversies surrounding the University of Illinois mascot to broader campus radicalism. Reilly critiques the backlash against DEI initiatives in corporate America and discusses the implications of single motherhood on society. With sharp commentary, he unpacks the real drivers of crime versus common misconceptions about race and tackles controversial issues like transgender participation in sports.
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ANECDOTE

Chief Illiniwek As Campus Prelude

  • Wilfred Reilly recalled the long University of Illinois Chief Illiniwek controversy and campus protests led largely by white women seeking 'cool points.'
  • He described the mascot as a frat guy who became unfairly targeted and said the protests prefigured later campus movements.
INSIGHT

DEI Is Retreating, Not Dead

  • Reilly argues DEI is in retreat but being rebranded inside corporations rather than fully disappearing.
  • He predicts many DEI roles will be renamed and require monitoring to remove their influence.
INSIGHT

COVID Moments Fueled Backlash

  • Reilly ties his radicalization to COVID-era inconsistencies and a 1,200-doctor letter prioritizing racism over pandemic precautions.
  • He says those moments revealed institutional priorities misaligned with common sense, fueling backlash.
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