Donald Trump vs. The Civil Rights Act

The headlines this past month have been dominated by Trump’s all out assault on the administrative state, the most visceral examples being the rapid dismantling of USAID and the CFPB. Less discussed, but just as insidious, is what’s happening at the agencies they’re keeping intact.

Let’s start with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The EEOC is tasked with enforcing Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination in the workplace. Trump quickly appointed Andrea Lucas, a Republican, to head the agency, and summarily dismissed two of its Democratic commissioners. He also issued Executive Order 14168, which directed federal agencies to enforce the concept of biological sex and cease engaging in any “gender ideology.” 

Lucas quickly fell in line. First, sources inside the EEOC report that the agency ordered employees to stop processing claims of anti-LGBT discrimination. Second, the agency moved to drop six lawsuits that it had brought under the Biden administration alleging discrimination based on gender identity.

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