Hakeem Jeffries Tells Activist Audience DEI Is Explicitly Written Into Constitution

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told left-wing activists Thursday that the Trump administration is waging an “all-out attack on civil rights” by opposing diversity, equity and inclusion.

President Donald Trump issued an executive order hours after taking office on January 20, 2025, demanding an end to DEI efforts within the federal government. Jeffries told attendees at the National Action Network’s annual convention that DEI is mandated by the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. (RELATED: Lawyer linked to infamous anti-Trump case admits fear of Bondi replacement)

“No matter what these extremists are trying to do with their all-out attack on civil rights, on voting rights, and certainly on diversity, equity and inclusion – and we will not let these extremists get away with lying to the American people,” the New York Democrat argued. “They want to suggest that diversity and equity and inclusion are foreign values. They’re not foreign values, they’re American values.”

WATCH:

“Let’s just check the facts. The motto of this great country, ‘E pluribus unum,’ that’s the motto of this great country, ‘Out of many, one.’ That’s diversity,” Jeffries continued. “One of the most important constitutional amendments in this country, a Reconstruction amendment, the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution, contains the Equal Protection Clause. And the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment promises equal protection under the law. It’s fairness.”

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced that his department would eliminate racial and gender quotas for promotions in a September 30 speech to generals and flag officers. Hegseth also said there would be only one combat fitness standard that all troops serving in combat roles would be required to meet.

“And all across this country, from sea to sea, in the land of the free and the land of the brave, when people take the Pledge of Allegiance, they are pledging allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic that it represents, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. That is inclusion,” Jeffries said. “So diversity, equity and inclusion – we’re teaching the extremists something – these are not foreign values, these are American values. And when you attack diversity, equity and inclusion, you attack the United States of America.” (RELATED: ‘This is insane’: Former Obama chief of staff says Democrats have ‘lost the plot’)

“We have a leadership position on this issue, which is why I am so grateful that Rev. Sharpton and the National Action Network continue to mobilize,” Jeffries added.

Citing the 14th Amendment, the Supreme Court struck down the University of North Carolina and Harvard’s race-sensitive admissions policies, ruling 6-3 in North Carolina’s case and 6-2 in Harvard’s case in June 2023.

All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent, nonpartisan news service, is available free to any legitimate news publisher capable of delivering a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and DCNF affiliation. For questions about our guidelines or our partnership, please contact licenses@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.