U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) called on Belmont University to end its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) program or risk losing federal funding, as such policies violate President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14173.
Trump’s Executive Order 14173, titled “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity,” eliminates affirmative action and DEI programs within the federal government.
Belmont, which is designated as a 501(c)(3) public charity, has been accused of rebranding its DEI office as the “Office of Hope, Unity, and Belonging” to appear to comply with Trump’s executive order.
On Tuesday’s edition of The Michael Patrick Leahy Show, Ogles warned that Belmont risks losing federal funding, research grants, and student financial aid if it does not comply with the executive order and gut its DEI office.
Ogles said “it’s a shame” that the institution is following the tactics used by other universities in an attempt to sidestep Trump’s executive order.
“Nashville is a great city with multiple universities that really serve our community, the state, and quite frankly, the country. Belmont’s a part of that equation, but unfortunately, they’re tarnishing their brand by directly violating federal law, and there’s an argument to be made that they’re violating state law,” Ogles said.
“All they did was rebrand the DEI office and DEI policies, which is a direct violation of federal law and quite frankly, could end up costing Belmont University federal dollars and access to grants, research grants, financial aid for their students, all in the name of wokeness,” he added.
Ogles accused the private university in Nashville of “reverse discrimination” and hypocrisy, particularly condemning the Belmont president for citing scripture to justify the institution’s DEI policies.
“They’re not fooling anyone. Reverse discrimination is still discrimination…I was a little offended by the president’s statement that he put out and he quoted scripture. Let me be clear, If you are discriminating using DEI whilst quoting scripture, that doesn’t make you more Christian than the next guy, it makes you a hypocrite,” Ogles said.
“At the end of the day, you need to get in line with Trump’s policies. You need to get rid of these discriminatory practices and again, get back to your charter, which is to educate,” he added.
The Tennessee congressman said Belmont’s activism tarnishes its brand and Nashville’s reputation, urging the university to return to its educational mission rather than serving as a “woke mouthpiece for the former Biden administration.”
“Belmont’s got a bright future. They have a fantastic new medical school. I know folks who have kids going there. They love the institution, but this tarnishes their brand, it tarnishes Nashville…Enough is enough. It’s time for greater Nashville to send a message to Belmont and say, ‘Look, you have a charter to teach and to educate, not to be a woke mouthpiece for the former Biden administration.’ End of story,” he stated.
Noting how he has formally notified the U.S. Department of Education about Belmont’s alleged violations and expects compliance through administrative pressure, Ogles further warned that Congress may intervene if corrective action isn’t taken against the university.
He also revealed that whistleblowers from Belmont faculty are coming forward with discrimination claims, suggesting the controversy could escalate before the situation is resolved.
“My hope would be that we can get this resolved quickly by simply a letter…but at the end of the day, if they don’t take corrective action, I think you’re going to see Congress taking corrective action. We have given them the opportunity to correct course…and, by the way, we have whistleblowers coming to us left and right from faculty who have been discriminated against because they aren’t buying into this wokeness at Belmont,” Ogles said.
“This can get a whole lot worse before it gets better. So the message to Belmont is: get your acting order, get into compliance because this is not going away. They need to hear that,” he added.
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https://t.co/auU7gUGu8L— MichaelPatrick Leahy (@michaelpleahy) July 22, 2025
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Andy Ogles” by Andy Ogles. Background Photo “Belmont University Campus” by Belmont University.
Bring Dr Greg Jones, his HUB (DEI) administrator & some Trustees before Congress to testify as to the function of HUB. How does it impact enrollment, instruction, etc. I’d like to hear directly from the President of Belmint University. It’s been hijacked by the LEFT for a long time. Are they enrolling illegal aliens, maybe no tuition?
Belonging… the word is familiar. Hasn’t Mayor Freddie recently opened an office of “Belonging” to assist illegal aliens. Belmont U coordinating with the Mayor’s Belonging program?
I’m so tired of these sneaky Marxist tricks that the Left likes to play.
I’m so sick of the Marxists ruining Nashville.
It’s time to get transparent about what Belmont University is doing.
Dr Greg has some explaining to do.