Tracking Racism: The Trump Administration Discrimination Database

Introducing the definitive index of the Trump administration's official acts of bigotry, inequality and oppression.

(Envato.com)

Why does everyone think Donald Trump is racist?

While the second-term president has demonstrated his bigotry in words, deeds and tweets, his followers often refuse to believe that Black people might know more about this subject than his mostly white followers, who have zero personal experience with racial prejudice.

That’s why we decided to keep a list.

Just as The Washington Post counted the 30,573 false and misleading claims Trump made during his first term, our database will track Donald Trump’s (and members of the Trump administration's) bigotry, oppression and discrimination.

Here’s how we did it.

Methodology

This database tracks the statements, policies and official actions of Donald Trump or members of the Trump administration. To be included in the database, an incident must come from a credible source and have taken place since Jan. 20, 2025 (Inauguration Day) and meet one of the following criteria:

1. Impact: Does the action, policy or statement negatively impact or target a specific marginalized community?

2. Reverse racism: Does the action or policy reverse an already existing law or statute meant to address discrimination?

3. Definition: Rather than measuring the presidential administration’s intent, we focus on the impact based on two definitions from Merriam-Webster’s dictionary

   Discrimination: prejudiced or prejudicial outlook, action, or treatment, or
   b: the act, practice, or an instance of discriminating categorically rather than individually

   Racism: the systemic oppression of a racial group to the social, economic, and political advantage of another.

The database is updated daily from publicly available sources. However, due to this administration’s prolific prejudice, we may have missed something. That’s where you come in. If you hear about an act of bigotry that fits our guidelines, please email the Trump Administration Discrimination Database to submit something we may have missed at TADD@contrabandcamp.com

Here is our running list:

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April 18, 2025

Trump tweets a digitally altered image of Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s knuckle tattoos.

• Why we included it: The image appears to be doctored. The four symbols that appear in the photo – “Marijuana,” “Smiley,” “Cross,” and “Skull” – do not appear in any law enforcement database referencing the El Salvadorian gang. A court has not determined that Abrego Garcia is a member of MS-13, robbing him of his right to due process.

April 15, 2025

Trump issues presidential memorandum Preventing Illegal Aliens from Obtaining Social Security Act Benefits: The memo gives law enforcement and federal agencies access to the Social Security database to target immigrants.

• Why we included it: Allows law enforcement agencies to target individuals based on ethnicity or immigration status. It also authorizes agencies to wipe out bank accounts, credit and wages that were legally earned.

April 14

Trump tells El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele that he wants to deport “homegrown” U.S. citizens to foreign prisons.

• Why we included it: Aside from hate crime laws and statutes against meth, there is not a single U.S. incarceration policy that doesn’t disproportionately affect nonwhite citizens.

April 9, 2025

Executive Order 14263: The executive order targets law firm Susman Godfrey.

• Why we included it: The executive order targets the firm for funding “groups that engage in dangerous efforts to undermine the effectiveness of the United States military through the injection of political and radical ideology.”

April 8, 2025

Trump fires Navy Vice Adm. Shoshana Chatfield.

• Why we included it: Every senior military leader who has been ousted in Trump’s "wokeness" purge is a woman or person of color, all of whom were replaced by lower-ranking, less experienced white men.

April 1, 2025

Trump begins massive layoffs at health agencies.

• Why it’s on the list: The attack on federal health agencies will increase health disparities that disproportionately affect Black and Hispanic Americans. Black Americans also represent 20% of the Department of Health and Human Services and 24% of Veterans Affairs.

March 31, 2025

The Pentagon bans “DEI” books: The Trump administration purged hundreds of books from the U.S. Naval Academy library.

• Why we included it: The 381 banned books appear to be a list of books that reference race, gender civil rights or sexuality.

March 27, 2025

Executive Order 14253, Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History: The order adresses government funding to Smithsonian institutions, federal parks and monuments.

• Why it’s on the list: The order only mentions two museums – the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the Smithsonian American Art Museum for its exhibit “The Shape of Power: Stories of Race and American Sculpture.” It also seems to promote the idea that race is a biological reality

March 25, 2025:

Executive Order 14246, Addressing Risks From Jenner & Block: According to the order, the firm “supports attacks against women and children based on a refusal to accept the biological reality of sex, and backs the obstruction of efforts to prevent illegal aliens from committing horrific crimes and trafficking deadly drugs within our borders.”

Why it’s on the list: It uses the administration’s anti-DEI campaign, xenophobia and transphobic laws to punish a political enemy.

March 18, 2025

Department of Defense establishes new color line: The bio for Jackie Robinson was deleted from the Department of Defense website, along with other heroes from Black history.

• Why it’s on the list: Confirming fears of the erasure of Black history, the deleted figures only included pages that mention race, ethnicity or nationality. No white people were deleted.

March 14, 2025

Executive Order 14237, Addressing Risks From Paul Weiss: Trump issued an executive order targeting the law firm that had a partner who was a prosecutor in the office of special counsel Robert Mueller and who filed a pro bono suit against Jan. 6 insurrectionists.

• Why it’s on the list: Trump justified his attack on a private law firm by alleging that it engaged in “unlawful diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.”

Trump issues executive action targeting libraries: Among others, the order targets employees of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund and the Minority Business Development Agency.

• Why it’s on the list: According to the American Library Association, the administration revoked grants that helps children, aspiring entrepreneurs and needy people in underserved communities. Black Americans are more likely to have a library card, experience homelessness and be declined for a business loan.

March 13, 2025

Trump uses Palestinian as a slur": Speaking on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Trump said: “Schumer is a Palestinian as far as I’m concerned. He’s become a Palestinian. He used to be Jewish. He’s not Jewish anymore. He’s a Palestinian.”

• Why it’s on the list: Apparently, Trump thinks Jews want lower corporate taxes and “Palestinian” is an insult.

March 12 and 15, 2025

Immigration officials arrest (March 12) and deport (March 15) Kilmar Abrego Garcia: El Salvadorian immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia was arrested by ICE agents and deported to an El Salvadorian concentration camp where he currently remains.

• Why it’s on the list: Abrego Garcia was not convicted in a court of law, has not been charged with a crime and was denied due process based on administration officials’ claim that he is a member of a gang.

March 8, 2025

The arrest of Mahmoud Khalil

Federal immigration authorities arrested the Palestinian activist who led Columbia University’s protests against the United States’ role in Israel’s genocide against Palestine. Khalil is still detained in a Jena, La., facility.

• Why it’s on the list: Khalil has not been charged with a crime and was arrested for exercising his First Amendment rights. "Rights are granted to those who align with power," Khalil wrote in a Washington Post op-ed. "For the poor, for people of color, for those who resist injustice, rights are but words written on water."

March 7, 2025

Executive Order 14235, Restoring Public Service Loan Forgiveness: The decree prohibits specific programs from extending loan forgiveness in exchange for public service.

• Why it’s on the list: Many non-white doctors take advantage of this program to wipe out their student loans. The executive order excludes doctors who provide gender-affirming care, people who participated in protests and any agency with a DEI policy.

March 6, 2025

Executive Order 14230, Addressing Risks From Perkins Coie LLP: The order targets a respected law firm for working with Hillary Clinton, George Soros and voter protection groups.

• Why it’s on the list: While this is technically an attack on a political enemy, Trump uses Perkins Coie’s DEI policy and its diversity fellowships to justify the executive order.

March 1, 2025

Executive Order 14224: The EO designates English as the official language for federal government agencies.

• Why it’s on the list: The executive order doesn’t just designate English as the official language; it rescinds previous guidance that provided “access to services for persons with limited English proficiency.”

February 21, 2025

Trump purges the military of “woke” leaders: Trump fired General Charles” CQ Brown Jr.” and other military leaders.

• Why it’s on the list: His firings were limited to women and Black men, all of whom were replaced by lesser-qualified white men.

Trump stops tracking police misconduct: Trump ordered a shutdown of the database that tracks misconduct and abuse by law enforcement officers.

• Why it’s on the list: Police are more likely to shoot, kill and commit acts of brutality against non-white citizens.

February 10, 2025

Fort Bragg renamed: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth Renames Fort Liberty to Fort Bragg.

• Why it’s on the list: The move was a fulfillment of Trump’s promise to restore the names of Confederate generals to Army bases. While it’s not technically named after the Confederate general, the administration literally searched the archives to find a white man to name the Fayetteville, N.C., military installation after.

February 6, 2025

Executive Order 14202: The executive order nominally eradicates anti-Christian bias.

• Why it’s on the list: It’s the fulfillment of Project 2025’s pledge to Judeo-Christian values as well as a nod to the Christian nationalist movement.

February 5, 2025

Executive Order 14201: The executive order is titled “Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports.”

• Why it’s on the list: The decree is part of the right-wing culture war attack on transgender rights. There are fewer than 20 documented cases of transgender women in college and high school sports. Aside from Title IX, the federal government does not regulate any other aspect of high school or college sports participation.

January 29, 2025

Trump blames airline crash on DEI: Donald Trump and administration officials blamed diversity, equity and inclusion policies for a February 29 midair collision that killed 67 people.

• Why it’s on the list: He provided no evidence for his accusations that “they actually came out with a directive, too white.” He also blamed Obama for policies that began under his administration

Executive Order 14190: The policy entitled “Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling” threatens to strip K-12 schools that teach “radical ideology.”

• Why it’s on the list: The policy is cut and pasted from pro-white advocate Christopher Rufo’s definition of critical race theory. Under the rule, teaching about slavery, civil rights and Jim Crow could be illegal.

Executive Order 14191: Under the guise of “Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunity for Families,” the law permits the federal government to use public money for private and religious institutions.

• Why it’s on the list: The rule will increase education disparities, take money from already underfunded schools and funnel taxpayer dollars to segregation academies.

January 28, 2025

Executive Order 14187, Protecting Children From Chemical and Surgical Mutilation: Bans gender-affirming care.

• Why it’s on the list: uses Christian ideology and anti-trans agenda to target parents, doctors and trans children.

Federal government purge: Trump wants to cut the federal workforce by 10%.

• Why it’s on the list: The federal government is more racially diverse than the nation as a whole. The reduction in employees would also make it harder for elderly and low-income citizens to receive government benefits.

January 27, 2025

Executive Order 14185, Restoring America's Fighting Force: Ends DEI in the U.S. military and expels service members based on gender identity.

• Why it’s on the list: It attacks diversity, equity and inclusion in the U.S. military and expels qualified service members based on gender identity.

January 24, 2025

Executive Order 14182: The executive order enforces the Hyde Amendment, a rule that excludes abortion services from federal funding.

• Why it’s on the list: It rescinds two executive orders protecting female federal workers’ reproductive rights and health care services

January 21, 2025

Executive Order 14173: The order ends “illegal discrimination” and restores merit-based opportunity in the federal government.

• Why it’s on the list: DEI laws do not discriminate. The policy also presumes white people achieved positions through “merit,” while unqualified “diversity hires” benefit from programs that were actually created to address inequality.

January 20, 2025

Elon Musk’s Nazi salute

DOGE chief and race science promoter Elon Musk performed a Nazi salute twice at a Trump inauguration celebration rally.

• Why it’s on the list: We could not find an example of a non-Nazi performing this salute.

Trump’s Day One Executive Orders

On the first day of his presidency, Trump issues the following executive orders:

• Executive Order 14149, Restoring Freedom of Speech and Ending Federal Censorship: Under the guise of free speech, the order protects online platforms from the consequences of moderating hateful content, discriminatory statements and misinformation.

• Executive Order 14157, Designating Cartels and Other Organizations as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists: Designates Tren de Aragua (TdA), La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and other Hispanic gangs as terrorist organizations while not addressing “the most dangerous domestic terrorist threat to the country in the country” — right-wing extremists.

• Executive Order 14151, Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing: The decree directs the director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to terminate all mandates, policies, programs, preferences and activities relating to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. These programs were initially created to address documented racial and gender disparities.

• Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion: Aside from the use of the word “invasion” and restricting access to housing and public health, the order penalizes “sanctuary cities” that offer due process to immigrants.

• Executive Order 14160, Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship: Ends the 14th Amendment’s guarantee of birthright citizenship and due process.

• Executive Order 14172, Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness: Changes the names of the Gulf of Mexico and Denali to white names.

• Executive Order 14164, Restoring the Death Penalty and Protecting Public Safety: Trump has threatened to use the death penalty on drug dealers, a crime where Black and Hispanic men are more likely to be convicted and receive harsher sentences. White people use more drugs. Black and Hispanic men are more likely to be sentenced to death.

• Executive Order 14168, Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government: The law attacks transgender people based on their gender identification.

While Trump’s “day one” executive orders have rightfully gained attention, the executive orders that he rescinded on his first day in office include:

• Executive Order 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities

• Executive Order 13988: Preventing and Combating Discrimination Based on Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation

• Executive Order 14004: Permitting Transgender Individuals to Serve Openly in the Military,

• Executive Order 13995: establishes a COVID-19 health equity task force to address “severe and pervasive health and social inequities” in the medical community.

• Executive Order 14012: ensures “full participation by immigrants, including refugees, in our civic life; that immigration processes and other benefits are delivered effectively and efficiently; and that the Federal Government eliminates sources of fear and other barriers that prevent immigrants from accessing government services available to them.”

• Executive Order 14019: promotes access to voting.

• Executive Order 14020: establishes the White House Gender Policy Council

• Executive Order 14021: guarantees an educational environment free from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender Identity.

• Executive Order 14031: Advancing Equity, Justice, and Opportunity for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders

• Executive Order 14035: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce.

• Executive Order 14045: White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics.

• Executive Order 14049: The White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Native Americans and Strengthening Tribal Colleges and Universities

• Executive Order 14050: The White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Black Americans

• Executive Order 14069: promotes pay equity and transparency

• Executive Order 14075: Advancing Equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Individuals.

• Executive Order 14087: lowers the cost of prescription drugs, including insulin, which disproportionately affects African-Americans.

• Executive Order 14091: Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government.