Beyond the White House: The Ongoing War Against Progressive Policies

Executive order

President Trump battles progressive ideologies, igniting cultural friction over post-administration policies.

Quick Takes

  • Trump’s executive orders leave a considerable impact on federal education policies.
  • Progressive ideologies clash fiercely with conservative ambitions.
  • Cultural and ideological divides deepen post-Trump’s administration era.
  • Federal funding becomes leverage for enforcing traditional policies.

Cutting Funding to ‘Woke’ Schooling

President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order aimed at reducing federal funding for educational institutions promoting “woke” ideologies, specifically targeting lessons on gender identity, structural racism, and diversity initiatives. His moves have resonated strongly with those opposing progressive doctrines infused into education. Under the order titled “Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling,” Trump’s intention is clear: remove what he perceives as radical, anti-American ideologies that undermine parental rights and contribute to racial division.

Trump’s education policies stand resolute against progressive education doctrines, such as critical race theory and transgender policies, by utilizing federal funding as leverage. Public K-12 schools rely significantly on federal funds, mainly supporting low-income and special education programs, representing around 14% of their revenue.

Wielding Funding as a Policy Tool

Trump proposes “massive funding preferences” for states and schools that abolish teacher tenure, promote universal school choice, and empower parents to elect school principals, thereby aligning educational institutions more closely with conservative ideals. His plans also extend beyond elementary and secondary schools, with legislation conceived to penalize universities over diversity initiatives.

“These practices not only erode critical thinking but also sow division, confusion, and distrust, which undermine the very foundations of personal identity and family unity,” per the executive order.

Trump suggests introducing a new credentialing body to support educators who foster patriotic values, reinstating the 1776 Commission to encourage “patriotic” education nationwide. The proposition of a free online university funded by taxing large private university endowments also forms part of his strategy to combat entrenched progressivism within academia.

Federal Policy Shifts

Trump has initiated multiple executive directives to root out progressive ideologies from federal operations in his quest for more traditional governance structures. Ending Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs in government are on his agenda, although this faces resistance from heavily Democratic federal workforce factions and entrenched progressivism within federal institutions.

The Brookings Center provides a Regulatory Tracker following policy changes, reflecting the contentious environment of Trump’s policy rollbacks compared to Democratic leadership. Trump’s continued efforts to contravene progressive movements are evidenced by his push to nullify Biden’s executive orders promoting racial equity and obstruct Title IX rewrites, steps necessitating extended administrative processes.