Trump Admin Secures Big Win Against Woke University’s DEI President [WATCH]

University of Virginia President James E. Ryan announced his resignation on Friday following mounting pressure from the Department of Justice and the Trump administration over the university’s continued use of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.

The resignation follows a month-long federal investigation into allegations of race-based discrimination at the Charlottesville-based public institution.

Ryan submitted a resignation letter to university leadership in which he explained his decision to step aside rather than challenge the federal government.

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“I am inclined to fight for what I believe in, and I believe deeply in this University,” Ryan wrote.

“But I cannot make a unilateral decision to fight the federal government in order to save my own job.”

This marks the first instance during President Donald Trump’s current term in which a university president has stepped down under federal pressure related to DEI compliance.

The Trump administration has prioritized dismantling DEI initiatives across higher education institutions and has taken action against schools such as Harvard and Columbia.

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The administration has already revoked more than $3 billion in federal funding from Harvard, citing failure to comply with reforms related to curriculum, foreign student admissions, and other areas.

According to reporting from The New York Times, the Department of Justice, under the direction of Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet K. Dhillon, had made Ryan’s resignation a condition for settling its investigation into the university.

Harmeet Dhillon (@AAGDhillon) was on Jake Tapper’s show this evening laying out the backstory of how continued illegal practices at UVA imperiled UVA’s federal funding and led to UVA President Jim Ryan’s resignation today.

Her interview below is well worth the watch 👍 https://t.co/TVTspIby1D pic.twitter.com/dLlR5444sk

— Brick Suit (@Brick_Suit) June 28, 2025

The DOJ launched its inquiry into the University of Virginia at least a month ago.

On June 17, federal investigators sent a letter to the school’s administration outlining concerns over “multiple complaints of race-based discrimination.”

The letter also concluded that such alleged discrimination appeared to be systemic and “throughout every component and facet of the institution.”

In the same letter, the DOJ warned the university that “time is running short, and the department’s patience is wearing thin.”

Ryan, who was already planning to retire at the end of the next academic year, said he accelerated his departure due to the consequences his refusal might have on the university community.

“To not resign would not only be quixotic but appear selfish and self-centered to the hundreds of employees who would lose their jobs, the researchers who would lose their funding, and the hundreds of students who could lose financial aid or have their visas withheld,” he stated.

His resignation prompted immediate reactions across the campus.

According to The New York Times, hundreds of students and faculty organized a protest at Carr’s Hill, the university president’s residence.

Protesters marched through campus chanting slogans such as “We want Jim” and “Death to tyrants,” a translation of the Virginia state motto, sic semper tyrannis.

Ryan briefly addressed the crowd, saying, “I appreciate you being here. I appreciate your support. And regardless of my role, I will continue to do whatever I can to support this place and continue to make it the best place it can be. And I would ask that you all do the same.”

Harmeet K. Dhillon, who oversees the DOJ’s civil rights division, issued a statement welcoming the decision.

“When university leaders lack commitment to ending illegal discrimination in hiring, admissions and student benefits — they expose the institutions they lead to legal and financial peril,” Dhillon said.

While an official departure date has not been set, sources briefed on internal communications say Ryan is expected to leave by August 15.

The University of Virginia received at least $355 million in federal research grants in 2023.

Members of the university’s board reportedly expressed concern that federal funding could be at risk if the administration failed to act on DEI compliance and implement changes aligned with a 2023 Supreme Court ruling that banned race-based affirmative action.

President Trump’s executive order directing the elimination of DEI initiatives across federally funded institutions remains a key part of the administration’s broader policy toward higher education.

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