Birmingham Mayor Randall L. Woodfin criticized President Donald Trump’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) executive orders on Thursday, suggesting that Americans are now seeing an “Alabama fabrication” of the United States federal government.
During an appearance on “CNN This Morning,” Woodfin argued that white women and veterans benefit the most from DEI’s policies — not just black Americans and other minority groups.
“What message and who are you trying to get across? And beyond frustrating and disappointing. It just goes to show you that 47 told us what he was going to do, and he’s doing it,” Woodfin said.
WHITE HOUSE OPM ORDERS ALL DEI OFFICES TO BEGIN CLOSING BY LATE WEDNESDAY
Birmingham Mayor Randall L. Woodfin claims Americans are now witnessing the federal government’s “Alabama fiction.” (Win McNamee/GREG NASH/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
The Birmingham mayor also disagreed with critics who argued that DEI programs went too far in some areas.
“Look, we made the words diversity, we made the words equity, we, like others, made those words inclusion, bad words. Inclusion is not a bad thing. There is no such thing as too much when it comes to inclusivity,” he said.
“There is no such thing as going too far when it comes to equality. This is America. Fairness is the right thing. There is no such thing as diversity being bad. America is a very diverse place. I think diversity, equality and inclusion are weaponized as some might use to say it was taken away from others,” Woodfin continued.
TRUMP’S DISMANTLING OF THE DEI IS DEEPER AND BIGGER THAN YOU EVEN KNOW
Criticism related to DEI obligations intensified after last year’s positive Supreme Court ruling that banned racial preferences in university admissions. (Getty Images)
Trump signed the executive order on Monday eliminate all DEI programs from the federal government.
On Tuesday, Trump issued two more executive actions targeting DEI — an executive order to end discrimination in the workplace and in higher education through race- and gender-based preferences under the guise of DEI, and a memorandum to rescind a Biden administration policy that prioritized DEI hiring — i in the Federal Aviation Administration.
Just two days into his term, Trump is making waves in Washington, and a new Fox News poll shows he is the voters are behind him. Nearly one-third of voters, 29%, agreed it was “extremely important” that Trump focus on getting DEI out of government. When broken down by party, 44% of Republicans, 16% of Democrats and 24% of independents want the president to end federal DEI initiatives.
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U.S. President Donald Trump signs documents as he issues executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House on Inauguration Day in Washington, U.S., January 20, 2025. (REUTERS/Carlos Barria)
Alabama’s GOP-controlled legislature passed comprehensive legislation in March 2020, ban state funding for diversity, equity and inclusion programs at public colleges and universities, local boards of education and government agencies, and that would limit lectures on “divisive concepts” at public colleges and universities.
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Citing his state’s laws, Woodfin said Americans have “seen this dance before” regarding DEI restrictions.
“Listen, the unfortunate part of this DEI removal conversation — Americans are witnessing a fabrication by the Alabama federal government,” he said.
