Former US President Donald Trump has sparked controversy by asserting that the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 led to white Americans being "very badly treated" and experiencing "reverse discrimination". His comments came in a recent interview where he detailed his ongoing campaign against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies.
Trump's Critique of Historic Legislation
In an interview published on Monday, Trump reflected on the legacy of the civil rights era. He claimed that while the period accomplished "some very wonderful things," it simultaneously "hurt a lot of people." The former president specifically pointed to university admissions and employment, suggesting that qualified white individuals were unfairly disadvantaged.
"White people were very badly treated, where they did extremely well and they were not invited to go into a university to college," Trump told the New York Times. "So I would say in that way, I think it was unfair in certain cases." He described the outcome as a form of "reverse discrimination."
The Civil Rights Act, signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964, is a foundational piece of legislation that outlawed discrimination based on race, colour, religion, sex, or national origin. Championed by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., it ended segregation in schools and workplaces and prohibited voter suppression.
Federal Push for White Male Grievances
Trump's rhetoric aligns with a concrete policy shift within a key federal agency. Vice President JD Vance and other senior Trump officials have actively encouraged white men to file federal discrimination complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to seek financial restitution.
This initiative gained public momentum last month when EEOC Chairwoman Andrea Lucas appeared in a video posted to X (formerly Twitter). "Are you a white male who has experienced discrimination at work based on your race or sex?" she asked. "You may have a claim to recover money under federal civil rights laws." The video urged potential claimants to contact the EEOC promptly, noting strict filing deadlines.
The agency stated, "The E.E.O.C. is committed to identifying, attacking, and eliminating ALL forms of race and sex discrimination - including against white male applicants and employees." This marks a significant shift for the commission, which for decades has primarily served as the nation's leading litigator for workplace discrimination cases involving minorities and women.
Dismantling DEI and the Road Ahead
Trump's first day in office last year saw him sign an executive order demanding the dismantling of diversity, equity, and inclusion offices across federal bureaucracies. He has frequently compared programmes designed to protect minorities and women to endorsements of incompetence and inferiority.
The EEOC, under Chairwoman Lucas, is now a central proponent of this anti-DEI agenda. This strategic redirection suggests that if Trump returns to power, challenging diversity initiatives and pursuing claims of discrimination against white men will become a formalised aspect of federal employment law enforcement.
These developments frame the 1964 Civil Rights Act not just as a historic shield against prejudice, but—in the view of Trump and his allies—as a potential source of grievance for a different demographic, setting the stage for profound legal and cultural battles over equality in America.
