Donald Trump's 2025 Presidency Marked by Rollbacks on DEI, Controversial Rhetoric, and Hardline Immigration Policies
In 2025, after re-entering office, President Donald Trump implemented several executive orders that reversed diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and affirmative action policies. These orders also restricted transgender rights and banned gender-affirming care for youth under 19.
One notable order directed Vice President JD Vance to prohibit federal funding for Smithsonian programs or exhibits focusing on race. Trump also moved to suppress Indigenous history by renaming Denali back to Mount McKinley.
Throughout the year, Trump's rhetoric remained pervasively racist, xenophobic, and sexist, evident across speeches, press events, and posts on his platform Truth Social. He targeted Somalia and Representative Ilhan Omar with harsh language, including controversial characterizations of Somalia and unverified claims regarding Omar's immigration status.
The president pursued a hardline immigration policy, advocating a permanent pause on migration from third-world countries while disparaging some nations using derogatory terms and expressing a preference for immigrants from wealthier countries.
His rhetoric included antisemitic and Islamophobic elements, such as referring to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer as Palestinian and employing antiquated dehumanizing language. Trump also frequently attacked journalists and female reporters by name at public appearances and on Truth Social.
These policies and rhetoric were intertwined with mass deportation actions that drew criticism for tearing families apart.
