Trump dissolves White House Initiative on AANHPIs in first executive actions

Among these was the revocation of Executive Order 14031, titled Advancing Equity, Justice, and Opportunity for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI), originally signed by President Joe Biden on May 28, 2021.

In a written preamble published with Trump’s first presidential actions, he alleged that the “previous administration has embedded deeply unpopular, inflationary, illegal, and radical practices within every agency and office of the Federal Government. The injection of ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ (DEI) into our institutions has corrupted them by replacing hard work, merit, and equality with a divisive and dangerous preferential hierarchy.”

By signing the executive orders, Trump said his administration would move to enact “policies that will make our Nation united, fair, safe, and prosperous again,” asserting that “it is the policy of the United States to restore common sense to the Federal Government and unleash the potential of the American citizen.”

“The revocations within this order will be the first of many steps the United States Federal Government will take to repair our institutions and our economy,” the statement added.

The dissolution of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI) sparked immediate backlash, particularly from leaders and advocates who have championed federal support for these communities. The WHIAANHPI was a bipartisan institution that had been reestablished and reshaped under successive administrations since its inception by President Bill Clinton in 1999.

The WHIAANHPI was designed to enhance federal engagement with AA & NHPI communities, ensuring they had equitable access to federal resources, policies, and programs. It played a vital role in addressing barriers these communities face in areas such as health, education, and economic opportunity.

Rep. Grace Meng, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), expressed her disappointment with Trump’s decision. In a statement, she said:  “I am disappointed that the new Administration decided that it was an important Day 1 priority to dissolve the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. The White House Initiative has been critical to connecting Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities to the federal government and has been a bipartisan institution across every administration for the last 25 years.”

She said the caucus would work “with any administration, from either party, to ensure AANHPI communities are engaged in the federal policymaking process and are not left behind.”

The White House initiative for the AAPI community was first established in 1999 by then-President Bill Clinton through Executive Order 13125, aiming to improve the quality of life for these communities by increasing their participation in federal programs. With the Initiative, the first President’s Advisory Commission on AAPIs was formed with 15 community members and chaired by former Rep. Norman Mineta.

The initiative was subsequently renewed by Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama during their respective two-terms in office.

In 2019, Trump issued Executive Order 13872, reestablishing the Initiative during his first term and moving it from the Department of Education back to the Department of Commerce, with then Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and then Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao serving as co-chairs of the initiative. This version also established an Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) to help broaden access to more employers and other economic resources for the AAPI community.

Biden later updated the Initiative in 2021 under Executive Order 14031, renaming it to White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI) to include the Native Hawaiian community.

According to Executive Order 14031, the Initiative is tasked with advancing “equity, justice, and opportunity for AA and NHPI communities by coordinating Federal interagency policymaking and program development efforts to eliminate barriers to equity, justice, and opportunity faced by AA and NHPI communities, including by advancing policies, programs, and initiatives.”

The same year, Biden signed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, a landmark law that made hate crime reporting more accessible and authorized grants for crime-reduction programs. The Act was a response to the alarming 189% surge in anti-Asian hate crimes from 2020 to 2021.

Advocates warn that dissolving the WHIAANHPI will leave vulnerable communities without a direct pipeline to federal policymaking. They emphasize the Initiative’s crucial role in combating systemic inequities and addressing anti-Asian discrimination.