It’s no secret that Donald Trump’s rise in politics has been fueled by white resentment. The president-elect routinely depicts the MAGA nation as victims of well-educated elitists.
“Colleges have gotten hundreds of billions of dollars from hardworking taxpayers, and now we are going to get this anti-American insanity out of our institutions once and for all,” he said in a video posted early Wednesday on several social media platforms. “We are going to have real education in America.”
Promising to be their “retribution,” Trump’s plan to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in America’s colleges and universities includes a provision requiring restitution for those allegedly harmed by measures enacted to provide greater opportunity to marginalized races and ethnicities.
“So, in other words, reparations for white people,” said MSNBC host Joy Reid, never one to shy from loaded words or phrases.
But it’s difficult to argue her point. Trump’s statement on the matter confirms it:
“Furthermore, I will direct the Department of Justice to pursue federal civil rights cases against schools that continue to engage in racial discrimination and schools that persist in explicit unlawful discrimination under the guise of equity will not only have their endowments taxed, but through budget reconciliation, I will advance a measure to have them fined up to the entire amount of their endowment. A portion of the seized funds will then be used as restitution for victims of these illegal and unjust policies, policies that hurt our country so badly.”
Seizing funds and then transferring them to “victims of these illegal and unjust policies” is textbook reparations. But Trump opposes reparations for descendants of enslaved Blacks, who, it should be noted, have been victims of centuries of illegal and unjust policies.
Asked about reparations for Black people in 2019, Trump told The Hill, “I think it’s a very unusual thing. It’s been a very interesting debate. I don’t see it happening, no.”
Author Keith Boykin, a former aide to President Bill Clinton, posted on X that it’s clear who Trump believes is being racially discriminated against.
“Trump announces reparations for white people,” Boykin wrote. “He says he will ask the Justice Department to penalize colleges that consider diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and fine them so he can pay ‘restitution’ to white people who he considers the real victims of racial discrimination.”
Reparations for descendants of slaves, however, remain controversial. In California, a measure that would have created an agency to administer funds (which have yet to be set aside) for reparations was defeated earlier this year, and even supporters say it could be another decade before the movement achieves success.
With Republicans controlling the Senate and the House, it shouldn’t take nearly that long for Trump to push through his reparations plan.
Some commenters on X affixed blame to Black voters who supported Trump.
“Now imagine you’re one of the 12% of black voters who fixed their fingers to vote for Trump,” said one reader. “Lmao fools all of them.”
Former CNN host Don Lemon also took to social media to slam the proposal.
“You voted for it,” Lemon said.
Others saw this as an excellent opportunity to speak for Black people.
“Most black people want to be judged by their merit and not their skin color,” responded one white woman on X. “Not everyone thinks black people need the bar lowered like you.”
Trump has proposed wholesale changes to the American educational system, including a push to eliminate the Department of Education, which would give full authority to the states. Congressional approval is required.