The State Department is preparing to suspend 38 universities—including some of the nation’s most elite—from a flagship federal research partnership because of their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) hiring practices, according to an internal memo and spreadsheet obtained by The Guardian.
The proposed move targets institutions participating in the Diplomacy Lab, a decade-old program that pairs university researchers with State Department policy teams to conduct real-world foreign-policy research. If enacted, the suspensions would take effect January 1, 2026, and dramatically reshape the government’s academic partnership network.
Elite Universities on the Chopping Block
Top-ranked institutions including Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Johns Hopkins, Duke, USC, and multiple University of California campuses were flagged for removal. The memo states that institutions should be excluded if they “openly engage in DEI hiring practices” or if they set DEI-based goals for candidate pools.
Other schools facing suspension include American University, George Washington University, and Syracuse University.
A State Department spokesperson did not deny the authenticity of the memo. Instead, the department referenced the administration’s broader stance, saying:
“The Trump Administration is very clear about its stance on DEI. The State Department is reviewing all programs to ensure that they are in line with the President’s agenda.”
A Color-Coded DEI Review
The spreadsheet accompanying the memo evaluated 75 universities using a four-point scale that categorized institutions based on the extent of their DEI hiring policies:
- Red: “Clear DEI hiring policy” — recommended for suspension
- Green: “Merit-based hiring with no evidence of DEI” — recommended to remain
Under the same review, 10 new schools—including Liberty University, Brigham Young University, and several institutions in Texas and Missouri—were approved to join the program.
If the suspensions are finalized, the Diplomacy Lab’s academic makeup would shift sharply toward institutions aligned with the administration’s ideology on hiring practices.
A Program With High Stakes for Students and U.S. Foreign Policy
Launched in 2013, the Diplomacy Lab connects university researchers with State Department offices on semester-long projects, offering students hands-on experience and policy teams access to academic expertise. For many universities, it serves as both a recruiting pipeline and a rare entry point into federal policymaking.
Removing 38 universities—many of which conduct substantial foreign-policy research—would likely reshape not only academic pathways but also the range and depth of analysis feeding into U.S. diplomatic strategy.
The Broader Crackdown on DEI
The move aligns with Trump’s near year-long effort to dismantle DEI initiatives across American higher education.
Earlier this year:
- Trump declared DEI programs “illegal” for institutions receiving federal grants
- Agencies were ordered to force universities to certify compliance by April 21
- The administration began terminating accreditors that require DEI practices, jeopardizing access to federal student aid
The pressure has already triggered major fallout.
In July, Columbia University agreed to pay more than $200 million to the federal government and pledged to eliminate consideration of “race, color, sex or national origin” in hiring decisions.
In June, University of Virginia President James Ryan resigned after the Justice Department demanded his departure over the school’s diversity practices.
Both institutions—after making changes—are recommended to remain in the Diplomacy Lab partnership, alongside MIT, the University of Michigan, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Texas at Austin, and the University of Virginia.
What Comes Next
The memo directs an office within the State Department’s Bureau of Public Affairs to update the program’s criteria so that only universities with “merit-based hiring practices” qualify for participation. It also outlines plans to issue formal suspension letters once the proposal is approved.
For universities, the stakes stretch beyond the Diplomacy Lab itself. Many see the proposal as a signal of how far the administration may be willing to go in conditioning federal partnerships—and potentially federal funding—on the elimination of DEI-focused hiring.
As the 2026 deadline approaches, the future of one of the most wide-ranging academic partnerships in U.S. foreign policy now hinges on a political fight that has moved from campus debates into the center of federal governance.
