The Trump administration has frozen $108 million in federal funding allocated to Duke Health, citing allegations of systemic racial discrimination across Duke University’s healthcare and academic systems. The move intensifies the administration’s ongoing crackdown on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in higher education and healthcare institutions.The funding block, first reported by Fox News and confirmed by a senior administration official, impacts Duke University School of Medicine as well as its broader healthcare research and delivery operations.
Title VI compliance under scrutiny
This decision comes just a day after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Education Secretary Linda McMahon sent a formal letter to Duke officials—President Vincent Price, Board Chairman Adam Silver, and Dean of the School of Medicine Mary Klotman—raising serious concerns over alleged “racial preferences in hiring, student admissions, governance, patient care, and other operations.”According to the letter, the federal government is investigating whether Duke is in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which bars racial or national origin discrimination in federally funded programs. The letter urges Duke to audit its policies and form a “Merit and Civil Rights Committee” to liaise with federal authorities.“If Duke does not comply and is found to be in violation, the $108 million in federal support could be permanently rescinded,” the administration official stated.Duke Health has yet to publicly comment on the funding freeze.
DEI crackdown in Trump’s second term
President Trump has repeatedly vowed to dismantle DEI initiatives, which his administration claims “exacerbate conflict and entrench bias.” In his second term, sweeping executive orders have banned DEI programs across federal agencies and threatened universities with funding cuts for maintaining diversity-related policies.In February 2025, the Department of Education warned academic institutions of potential sanctions over DEI-related activity, leading many universities to scale back or eliminate such programs entirely. Some even lost federal scholarships or research grants.Critics argue that DEI efforts foster inclusive learning environments and promote civic engagement. Numerous studies indicate that exposure to diverse peers on campus enhances cultural understanding and political participation among students.
Impact on Duke’s operations
The funding cut comes at a time when Duke and other top-tier research universities are facing broader challenges, including declining grant allocations from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). According to the Duke Chronicle, the university has already launched a voluntary separation incentive and is preparing for layoffs in August.With the future of its federal support uncertain, Duke Health may face not just reputational risk but also major operational disruptions.TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here.
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