The New York Times is being sued by the Trump administration over alleged ‘DEI-related’ discrimination, something the paper fervently denied.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced Tuesday it has filed a lawsuit against the Times, claiming it “violated federal law when it passed over a White male employee for a promotion because of his race and/or sex.”

“According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, The New York Times chose not to promote a well-qualified White male employee because of his race and/or sex,” the EEOC said in a press release. “The New York Times has a well-documented commitment to enacting race and sex conscious decision making in the workforce through its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies. In The New York Times’s 2021 ‘Call to Action’ and throughout numerous other publications, the company stated goals and action plans to increase non-White and female representation in its leadership positions.”

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The incident allegedly involved a “longtime New York Times editor” who has an “extensive experience in real estate journalism” and was apparently snubbed from an open deputy real estate editor position in early 2025.

“Every candidate who advanced through to the final interview process was not a White male. The company ultimately hired an outside candidate for the role — a non-White female with little to no experience in real estate journalism, despite such experience being a requirement for the real estate editor position,” the EEOC said, alleging the paper’s actions violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

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The agency went on to claim that the paper’s hiring manager approved the external candidate “without her first going through the standard interview processes for the position” and she was selected for the position “despite the company’s own final interview panel rating her less favorably than two other final candidates.”

“No one is above the law — including ‘elite’ institutions,” EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas said in a statement. “There is no such thing as ‘reverse discrimination’; all race or sex discrimination is equally unlawful, according to long-established civil rights principles. The EEOC is prepared to root out discrimination anywhere it may rear its head.”

“Federal law is clear: making hiring or promotion decisions motivated in whole or in part by race or sex violates federal law. There is no diversity exception to this rule,” Lucas added.

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The New York Times issued a fiery response to the lawsuit, rejecting what it calls “politically motivated allegations.”

“Our employment practices are merit-based and focused on recruiting and promoting the best talent in the world. We will defend ourselves vigorously,” Times communications chief Danielle Rhoades Ha stated. “Throughout this process, the EEOC deviated from standard practices in highly unusual ways. The allegation centers on a single personnel decision for one of over 100 deputy positions across the newsroom, yet the EEOC’s filing makes sweeping claims that ignore the facts to fit a predetermined narrative. Neither race nor gender played a role in this decision – we hired the most qualified candidate, and she is an excellent editor.”

“The New York Times’s commitment to diversity in all its forms is longstanding and unwavering, as is our commitment to a fair and legal hiring process that does not discriminate against anyone,” Rhoades Ha added.