Greg Abbott threatens Texas A&M president over alleged DEI law violation: 'Hell, no'

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (TNND) — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday called out Texas A&M President Mark Welsh over a conference which allegedly violates state law pertaining to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

An internal email shared by conservative activist Christopher Rufo on Sunday allegedly shows members of the school promoting The PhD Project’s annual conference in Chicago. The project is an initiative with the goal of “diversifying corporate America by diversifying the role models in the front of classrooms.”

To be eligible to attend the conference, applicants must identify as Black, Latino or Native American, according to the email. The email mentions Texas A&M consulted with its Office of General Counsel “to ensure compliance with SB 17,” a Texas bill prohibiting DEI activities at higher education institutions.

Texas A&M mentions via its SB 17 website that "we must continue to ensure that our programs and activities are open and available to all persons on a non-discriminatory basis" to remain compliant with the law.

An X user responded to the post by tagging Gov. Abbott, asking “is my newly adopted state gonna put up with this crap?” The governor responded by condemning the school for what he said violated Texas law.

“Hell, no,” the governor wrote. “It’s against Texas law and violates the US Constitution. It will be fixed immediately or the president will soon be gone.”

Reacting to the post was Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Texas.

“Thank you, Governor,” he wrote. “DEI has no place is our schools, government, or American life.”

Texas A&M told The National News Desk (TNND) Welsh sent an email to staff Monday evening saying he does not believe "we fully considered the spirit of our state law in making the initial decision to participate."

"This particular conference’s limitations on the acceptable race of attendees is not in line with the intent of SB-17, and, as a result, we will not be sending anyone to participate in this conference," Welsh wrote. "Texas A&M faculty and staff attend hundreds, if not thousands, of conferences and other events during the course of each academic year. We need to be sure that attendance at those events is aligned with the very clear guidance we’ve been given by our governing bodies."

In a separate statement Monday, Welsh also said Texas A&M "does not support any organization, conference, process or activity that excludes people based on race, creed, gender, age or any other discriminating factor."

DEI remains a contentious topic in the Lone Star State as lawmakers debate its importance in educational spaces. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, went viral online in November over the use of the word “oppression” during a House committee meeting.

"There has been no oppression for the white man in this country,” she said. “You tell me which white men were dragged out of their homes. You tell me which one of them got dragged all the way across an ocean and told that you are going to go and work.”

“It is white men on this side of the aisle telling us, people of color on this side of the aisle, that y'all are the ones being oppressed, that y’all are the ones being harmed," she added. “That is not the definition of oppression.”

Follow Jackson Walker on X at @_jlwalker_ for the latest trending national news. Have a news tip? Send it to jacwalker@sbgtv.com.