SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
Governor Kay Ivey is facing mounting pressure from conservative allies of former President Donald Trump over what they see as Alabama’s sluggish dismantling of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs—even as a federal judge recently struck down key parts of Trump’s national anti-DEI campaign.
In a candid interview with FM Talk 106.5, State Senator Chris Elliott (R-Josephine) revealed that Trump officials “called out” Ivey’s administration during a meeting in Washington, D.C., citing ongoing DEI language and staffing in state agencies like the Alabama Department of Public Health and the Office of Minority Affairs.
“They were very pointed in their criticism,” Elliott said. “It was eye-opening to hear them say Alabama should be leading the charge—not lagging behind.”
The criticism comes despite Ivey’s signing of SB129 in April, a law that bans state funding for DEI offices and prohibits the teaching of certain “divisive concepts” in public institutions. While the bill’s conservatives hailed it, Trump’s circle appears unconvinced of its enforcement.
“We expect red states to set the standard,” one Trump official reportedly said, according to Elliott.
But the Trump administration’s broader efforts to eliminate DEI nationwide hit a legal wall in July, when U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher—herself a Trump appointee—struck down two Education Department memos that threatened to pull federal funding from schools promoting DEI.
“The government cannot proclaim that it ‘will no longer tolerate’ speech it dislikes because of its ‘motivating ideology’—that is a ‘blatant’ and ‘egregious’ violation of the First Amendment,” Gallagher wrote in her ruling.
The decision was celebrated by educators and civil rights advocates, who argued that the memos were unconstitutional and bypassed proper rulemaking procedures.
“This is a huge win for academic freedom,” said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers. “Trump’s draconian attacks on education have no place in a democracy.”
Governor Ivey, meanwhile, has defended her record, stating:
“We are ensuring that Alabama tax dollars are not being spent on programs that divide rather than unite.”
Still, critics argue that symbolic legislation like SB 129 lacks enforcement power and that DEI programs remain embedded within the state bureaucracy.
The clash between state and federal developments highlights a growing divide within conservative ranks—between those demanding swift, sweeping action and those navigating legal and political constraints.