Donald Trump is reportedly planning to dismantle affirmative action policies, according to a detailed transition plan developed by the Heritage Foundation think tank. The plan, prepared in anticipation of a potential Trump presidency, outlines a comprehensive strategy to eliminate these programs across various sectors, including education and employment.

The Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025” initiative, a multi-year effort to build a conservative policy agenda and train a new generation of government officials, includes specific directives to aggressively target and dismantle affirmative action. The plan proposes executive actions and regulatory changes aimed at effectively ending the consideration of race, ethnicity, and gender in admissions processes at colleges and universities and in hiring practices by federal contractors.

Key components of the proposed plan involve directing federal agencies to identify and rescind any policies or programs that utilize affirmative action. This includes reviewing existing grant programs and contracts to ensure compliance with a strict interpretation of equal opportunity principles, which would prohibit the use of race-conscious criteria. The plan also suggests issuing guidance to federal agencies emphasizing that consideration of race or gender in decision-making is unlawful.

The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 has garnered significant attention for its ambitious scope and detailed policy recommendations. The project aims to ensure a rapid and complete transfer of power to conservative leadership should Trump win the 2024 election. The plan’s focus on eliminating affirmative action reflects a long-standing conservative critique of these policies, arguing that they lead to reverse discrimination and are inconsistent with the principle of equal opportunity.

Legal challenges to affirmative action have been ongoing for decades, with the Supreme Court recently limiting the use of race in college admissions. The proposed actions by a potential Trump administration would likely face legal scrutiny, but the plan signals a clear intent to further restrict the role of race and gender in government decision-making.