Trump issued an executive order shortly after taking office seeking to end DEI programs, including those at higher education institutions. His administration also launched investigations into dozens of universities this month, alleging they violated civil rights laws with race-based scholarships and programs.

The University of Michigan - long seen as a bastion of diversity, equity and inclusion programs - said on Thursday it was closing its DEI office, citing executive orders from President Donald Trump and a warning from the federal Education Department.

The University of Michigan will immediately end its diversity, equity and inclusion program after months of discussion about potential rollbacks to the initiatives, which galvanized hundreds of students,