The Daily

How Trump Upended 60 Years of Civil Rights

576 snips
Oct 21, 2025
Nikole Hannah-Jones, a renowned domestic correspondent for The New York Times Magazine and creator of the 1619 Project, dives into how the Trump administration reshaped civil rights. She discusses early executive orders that targeted DEI, erasing multicultural histories from federal platforms. Hannah-Jones highlights the importance of civil rights offices and the alarming trend of diminishing protections, warning of a potential second Nadir for Black rights. Her insights reveal a troubling intersection of politics and civil rights that could redefine the future for marginalized communities.
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INSIGHT

Early Framing Linked DEI To Civil Rights

  • Nikole Hannah-Jones noticed Trump's early actions framed civil rights enforcement as illegal "DEI," signaling a broader attack.
  • That labeling conflated modern DEI with 1960s civil rights protections and raised immediate alarm.
INSIGHT

Agency-Level Erosion Of Enforcement

  • Hannah-Jones documented agency-by-agency dismantling of civil rights enforcement across the federal government.
  • Eliminating regional offices and staff undermines the government's ability to enforce anti-discrimination laws.
INSIGHT

Federal Offices Make Laws Real

  • Federal civil rights offices exist across agencies to enforce laws where states fail to protect citizens.
  • Weakening these offices removes practical remedies even when civil rights remain on paper.
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