CO political analyst weighs in on Pres. Trump’s executive order to terminate DEI [Video]

DENVER — Following President Donald Trump executive order Tuesday, ordering the shutdown of federal diversity, equity and inclusion programs, a Colorado political analyst believes the battle for DEI will now shift to courtrooms alongside state and local legislatures.

“At the state level, that’s where we’re going to see Democratic states, trying to push back on this, whether that is acting as sort of DEI policy leaders and instituting more programs… or instituting more protections for state contractors” Philip Chen, an associate professor of political science at Denver University, said.

Chen argued, due to political gridlock in Congress, Democratic representatives have few options to push back against anti-DEI orders from the Trump administration. Chen said the use of executive orders by both Presidents Biden and Trump are a signal of the standstill currently taking place in the federal legislature.

“Legislating has shifted to the executive branch, and the executive branch can only legislate through executive orders,” Chen said.

The president’s …