by April Ryan,

A new executive order focuses on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), bringing the initiative back to the White House. During the first Trump administration, the HBCU Initiative was removed from the Department of Education and housed within the White House itself.

This latest executive order from the Trump administration prioritizes private sector partnerships, institutional development, workforce preparation in technology, and more.

By contrast, the Joe Biden administration had previously partnered federal government agencies with HBCUs, working through the Departments of Defense, Transportation, and Energy.

Prior to this executive order, several HBCU presidents had already been developing proposals aimed at strengthening federal cooperation with their institutions.

Now, Trump’s executive order aims to enhance the capabilities of HBCUs by supporting the implementation of the HBCU Partners Act and promoting research and program excellence. According to sources close to the HBCU community, the act could yield significant research grants and infrastructure funding for the hundred-plus HBCUs across the country.

Additionally, a portion of the order calls for building ‘pipelines’ to help more students attend HBCUs.

In his first term, President Trump had promised to increase funding for these predominantly Black institutions. However, then-senior advisor Steve Bannon told HBCU presidents it would be unconstitutional to allocate that funding directly. That year, Congress, holding the purse strings, ultimately increased HBCU funding.

On Wednesday, President Trump also signed several other executive orders in the Oval Office addressing artificial intelligence and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

As he signed the DEI-related order, a staffer presenting the document referred to DEI as a “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion cult.” Trump responded: “We are getting out of that, huh, after being in that jungle a long time.”

President Trump signed the orders in front of disabled veterans, who were the very definition of DEI when it existed.