We Are At War For Our Disability Rights: The US Government By Using The Executive Orders Is Taking Away Disability Rights
By: Richard Lee
July 18, 2026
President Trump has not issued an executive order exclusively dedicated to broad disability rights, but he has signed several executive orders spanning his first (2017–2021) and second (2025–present) administrations that have significantly shaped the landscape for people with disabilities in the United States. These orders have affected key areas such as disability employment, mental health services, accessibility in public and private sectors, and the structure of federal inclusion programs. The effects have been both direct and indirect, altering the responsibilities of government agencies, the funding available for disability programs, and the legal protections afforded to disabled Americans. [1, 2, 3]
The primary executive orders impacting individuals with disabilities include:
Second Administration (2025–Present)
Executive Order 14151 (“Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferences”)
Instructs all federal agencies to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices, programs, and staff positions, fundamentally changing the way the federal government addresses workplace fairness and accessibility. Disability advocacy groups, such as the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), note that this order dismantles the "Accessibility" (DEIA) framework across the federal government. As a result, specialized recruitment, training, and workplace retention programs for disabled federal employees are weakened or eliminated. This reduces targeted support for hiring and promoting people with disabilities, limiting their representation and career advancement within the federal workforce. The AAPD, which played a critical role in the creation of major access laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), now faces new challenges in advocating for disability rights. Without adequate funding and federal recognition, organizations like the AAPD are less able to influence policy or provide essential resources to people with disabilities. [1, 4, 5]Executive Order 14173 (“Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity”)
Requires federal contractors and grantees to dissolve internal equity programs and strictly adhere to traditional merit-based hiring practices. It explicitly bans federal funding from supporting structural programs that manage diversity categories, shifting focus back strictly to baseline anti-discrimination compliance. [4, 6] This change has sweeping effects on federal contractors, universities, and private organizations that previously maintained support programs for people with disabilities. By removing incentives and resources for disability inclusion, this executive order undermines the goals of the Rehabilitation Act Section 504, which was the world’s first comprehensive Civil Rights Act for people with disabilities. The effective "gutting" of Section 504 means fewer accommodations, less proactive inclusion, and a rollback of progress toward equal opportunity in education, employment, and federally funded services. Disability rights advocates warn that such policy rollbacks could set back decades of hard-won gains for disabled Americans.Executive Order: “Ending Crime and Disorder on America's Streets” (Issued July 24, 2025)
Redirects federal homelessness assistance grants toward local governments that actively enforce public camping bans. The order specifically impacts individuals with severe behavioral health conditions and cognitive disabilities by prioritizing the use of civil commitments and institutionalized treatment facilities over "Housing First" models. [7, 8] Historically, prior to the 1970s, many people with disabilities in the United States were forced to live in large, often overcrowded and underfunded institutions where they received inadequate care, education, and social opportunities. The disability rights movement fought for decades to close these institutions and promote community integration and independent living. This executive order represents a reversal of that progress, as it incentivizes states and cities to return to institutionalization for people with disabilities, especially those experiencing homelessness or behavioral health challenges. Disability advocates are deeply concerned that this will lead to the loss of autonomy, dignity, and community life for some of the nation’s most vulnerable citizens.Executive Order Directing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Investigations
Directs the FAA to review and evaluate personnel holding critical safety positions. The order requires additional scrutiny for employees with physical or psychological conditions, including mandatory medical evaluations and potential reassignment or removal from safety-sensitive roles. Disability rights advocates warn that these measures could create discriminatory barriers for qualified individuals who manage their disabilities effectively. The increased focus on medical fitness may discourage people with disabilities from pursuing or maintaining careers in aviation, even when their conditions do not compromise safety. [5]
First Administration (2017–2021)
Executive Order 13822 (“Supporting Our Veterans During Their Transition from Uniformed Service to Civilian Life”)
Directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Department of Defense (DOD), and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to coordinate and guarantee seamless mental health care and suicide prevention services for newly discharged service members for at least one year post-separation. This specifically targets the mental health and psychiatric disability struggles associated with military transition. [2]Executive Order 13845 (“Establishing the President’s Council for the American Worker”)
Created a federal initiative to expand workforce training, apprenticeships, and employment opportunities. It integrated workforce initiatives for Americans with intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities to transition into private-sector jobs, which Trump later highlighted during National Disability Employment Awareness Month. [9]Executive Order 13777 (“Enforcing the Regulatory Reform Agenda”)
Mandated federal agencies to establish regulatory reform task forces to eliminate burdensome or outdated federal mandates. In the context of disability, this order led to the review and removal of several non-binding guidance documents from the Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS). While some critics argued these documents were redundant, disability advocacy groups warned that their removal weakened federal oversight and guidance for special education services. The loss of these documents made it harder for schools, families, and advocates to understand and enforce the rights of students with disabilities, potentially reducing accountability and support for individualized education plans (IEPs) and disability accommodations in public schools.
