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Today, Explained

The man who helped kill DEI

13 Mar 2025

Description

Policy in the second Trump administration is being driven by a small group of thinkers from the online right. We talk to one of them about how he got DEI dismantled. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan with help from Carla Javier, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Further reading: The deeply online origins of MAGA 2.0 by Andrew Prokop. The Origins of Woke by Richard Hanania. Richard Hanania, Rising Right-Wing Star, Wrote For White Supremacist Sites Under Pseudonym. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members Photo courtesy of Richard Hanania. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Transcription

Full Episode

1.311 - 19.854 Andrew Prokop

For more than half a century, the U.S. had a rule that said anyone that does business with the federal government, from Boeing to FedEx and Pfizer to Johns Hopkins, had to take affirmative action toward hiring people regardless of race, color or creed. On day one of his presidency, Donald Trump ended that rule.

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20.855 - 40.413 Donald Trump

We've ended the tyranny of so-called diversity, equity and inclusion policies all across the entire federal government and indeed the private sector and our military. And our country will be woke no longer.

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41.798 - 58.312 Andrew Prokop

As the U.S. exploded following the murder of George Floyd in the summer of 2020, a loose coalition of highly online commentators, sub-stackers, and Twitter shitposters set their sights on eviscerating DEI policies. Then they won. Coming up on Today Explained, one of them speaks.

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60.251 - 87.36 ServiceNow Sponsor Voice

Support for the show comes from yonder. There's a certain time and place for you to be checking your phone and the classroom probably isn't one of them. Shouldn't school classrooms have, at the very least, the level of focus a stand-up comedian would demand of students? Their audience, Yonder, says they are committed to fostering phone-free schools. Learn more at overyonder.com.

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96.428 - 115.896 Kenny Beecham

What's up, y'all? It's Kenny Beecham. We are currently watching the best playoff basketball since I can't even remember when. This is what we've been waiting for all season long. And on my show, Small Ball, I'll be breaking down the series matchups, major performances, in-game coaching decisions, and game strategy and so much more for the most exciting time of the NBA calendar.

116.316 - 122.399 Kenny Beecham

New episodes through the playoffs available on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe to Small Ball with Kenny Beecham so you don't miss a thing.

125.824 - 134.012 Andrew Prokop

I'm Andrew Prokop, senior correspondent, Vox, covering politics.

134.622 - 145.59 Andrew Prokop

You recently wrote for Vox that the Trump administration is making policy, making policy decisions based on ideas that took hold on Twitter. Say more about what you mean.

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