Judge Lets Trump DEI Contractor Order Proceed

A federal judge in Maryland denied a request to temporarily block President Donald Trump’s March 2026 executive order restricting what the administration calls racially discriminatory DEI activities by federal contractors. The order requires contractors to certify compliance and allows potential contract consequences, including termination and possible False Claims Act enforcement. Judge Adam Abelson read the order narrowly, saying it bars intentional race- or ethnicity-based discrimination already prohibited by federal law, rather than diversity programs broadly. The plaintiffs, who represent university faculty and minority business owners, argued that the order could chill lawful DEI initiatives and constitutionally protected speech. The ruling is preliminary and does not resolve the lawsuit’s ultimate legal challenges; a separate case brought by Democratic-led states and Washington, D.C., also contests the policy.