The Trump Administration vs. Smith College and The New York Times

The Brian Lehrer Show examines two high-profile legal actions by the Trump administration targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives: a federal investigation into Smith College for admitting transgender women, and a lawsuit by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) against The New York Times over its diversity hiring goals. Columbia Law Professor Suzanne Goldberg, a former federal civil rights official, critiques both actions as politically motivated, legally flawed, and part of a broader effort to undermine civil rights protections. She argues that the Smith College investigation misapplies Title IX, ignores real student harms, and is driven by political posturing rather than genuine civil rights enforcement. Similarly, she condemns the EEOC lawsuit as a distortion of Title VII, using diversity commitments as evidence of discrimination, while ignoring systemic inequities that justify proactive inclusion efforts. Goldberg emphasizes that civil rights laws are meant to protect all people, including marginalized groups, and warns that these actions threaten democratic norms by scapegoating transgender individuals and suppressing DEI progress. Listeners share personal perspectives, with some expressing concern over the erosion of women's colleges and others condemning the administration's anti-trans rhetoric and policies.