In a dramatic escalation of his administration’s crackdown on race-based contracting, former President Donald Trump has just dealt a major blow to Chicago’s progressive leadership — and especially to Mayor Brandon Johnson, whose left-wing policies may now cost the city billions in federal funding.
Mayor Johnson, a vocal proponent of progressive “equity” policies, appears to have underestimated Trump’s resolve. Unlike typical career politicians, Trump has once again proven that he follows through on his promises — and that there are real consequences for pushing what the administration deems unconstitutional diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) mandates.
This move follows a similar decision in New York, where the Trump administration froze approximately $18 billion in federal funding tied to infrastructure projects. The reasoning: to halt the allocation of funds through DEI-centered requirements, which officials argued violate constitutional principles.
Now, Chicago is feeling the heat. On Friday, Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought announced via X that two major projects — the CTA Red Line Extension and the Red and Purple Line Modernization — are under review and effectively on hold, affecting $2.1 billion in infrastructure funding.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) released a statement the same day, explaining that an interim final rule now prohibits race- and sex-based contracting for federally funded projects. The Department confirmed that letters were sent to the Chicago Transit Authority notifying them that these projects are being scrutinized for potential violations.
“USDOT is committed to ensuring that no additional federal dollars support discriminatory, illegal, or wasteful contracting practices,” the statement read. “The American public cares about results — not the race or gender of those delivering them.”
USDOT also pointed to delays in review due to the recent government shutdown, stating: “Unfortunately, the shutdown caused by Senator Chuck Schumer and Representative Hakeem Jeffries has reduced the Department’s capacity to complete these reviews in a timely manner.”
While equity-based contracting has been championed in states like Illinois and New York, Trump’s administration is making it clear that federal funds will not be used to advance what it sees as ideologically driven — and legally questionable — policies.
For progressive mayors like Johnson, this serves as a warning: continue down the DEI path, and your city may face real-world consequences, including the loss of critical infrastructure funding.
Leave a Reply