The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals allowed the Trump administration to temporarily implement a ban on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs at federal agencies and businesses with government contracts, which had been previously blocked by a judge. The court found that President Trump’s directives regarding DEI policies were likely constitutional, despite disagreement with the substance of the orders by some judges. The decision is part of Trump’s efforts to eradicate DEI initiatives, which critics claim are discriminatory. The lawsuit was filed by the city of Baltimore and three groups who argued that Trump did not have the power to issue the orders, which they believed infringed on constitutionally protected free speech. The administration maintained that the orders were targeted at unlawful discrimination and did not ban or discourage speech. The court’s decision will remain in place until the outcome of the administration’s appeal, which could take months. Meanwhile, the plaintiffs accused the Trump administration of defying the ruling by continuing to condition federal contracts on recipients agreeing not to implement DEI programs, with a hearing held but no further ruling issued. The White House and Justice Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment, while the advocacy group representing the plaintiffs reviewed the decision.
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