Tennessee Republican Rep. Andy Ogles has urged the U.S. Department of Education to launch a federal investigation into Belmont University following leaked footage revealing the institution’s covert DEI operations. The recordings show a university official admitting the “Hub”—short for the Office of Hope, Unity & Belonging—is, in fact, a rebranded DEI office, and that the school continues to enroll undocumented students. Critics argue this sidesteps former President Trump’s executive order banning DEI programs at federally funded institutions.
In his July 17 letter to Education Secretary Linda McMahon, Rep. Ogles cited the undercover recordings obtained by Townhall. The footage features an assistant director confirming: “The HUB is Hope, Unity and Belonging. That’s DEI. … We just changed the terminology”. The same source allegedly admitted the university knowingly enrolls undocumented students and hides that fact from federal officials.
Belmont University’s spokesperson responded, calling the recordings misleading and clarifying that the employee is not an authorized spokesperson. The statement reaffirmed the HUB was launched in 2022 to “inspire the campus community to fully live in light of Christ’s resurrection” and maintained federal compliance.
Rep. Ogles, however, has accused the university of violating both Trump’s executive order and Tennessee law pertaining to harboring undocumented individuals. He demanded immediate removal of all DEI-related directives, including the imposition of “Diversity Impact Statements” on faculty course proposals, and warned of potential federal funding cuts.
This call follows similar scrutiny in Tennessee, where state lawmakers have enacted bills banning demographic considerations in hiring and dismantling DEI offices across public agencies and universities. These moves reflect a broader conservative backlash against DEI, labeling it discriminatory and a threat to constitutional fairness.
Belmont, a private Christian university in Nashville serving nearly 9,000 students, does receive some federal funding. Ogles and Tennessee Senator Brent Taylor, who supports strict immigration enforcement, both asserted that institutions cannot skirt federal and state law by merely renaming DEI bodies.
As of July 18, no concrete federal inquiry has been confirmed. Belmont has pledged cooperation, stating the recordings misrepresent the university’s mission and are not reflective of its beliefs or policies.
