Judge bulldozes Markwayne Mullin as wildfire victims suffer amid Trump 'pronoun' rulehttps://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/judge-bulldozes-markwayne-mullin-as-wildfire-victims-suffer-amid-trump-pronoun-rule/ar-AA2aDZlE?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=909e96bbbf1947f79ec40bf266124055&ei=16 🔗 [Link: msn.com/en-us/news/other/judge-bulldozes-markwayne-mullin-as-wildfire-victims-suffer-amid-trump-pronoun-rule/ar-AA2aDZlE/]David Edwards (21 Aug 2026)
A federal judge ruled DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin cannot withhold Oregon disaster relief over President Donald Trump's 'pronoun' mandates as wildfires burn across the state.
In a blistering order on Thursday, U.S. District Judge Michael McShane explained why he granted the city of Salem a preliminary injunction on Aug. 13, blocking the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency from tying disaster grants to Trump's gender ideology and diversity, equity and inclusion agenda.
Salem needed $1,093,800 to repair a flood-damaged road to its West Salem Pump Station after December 2025 storms — but the federal government required the city to first pledge compliance with anti-diversity and anti-"gender ideology" executive orders unrelated to disaster recovery.
Salem faced what McShane called a "Hobson's choice" — sign the conditions the court found likely unconstitutional or forfeit millions in congressionally appropriated disaster funds.
"Nowhere in the briefings, the regulations, or the executive orders does the government attempt to define 'gender ideology' or DEI in any helpful way," McShane explained.
"DHS fails to argue any link between the Trump Administration's anti-DEI crusade and helping communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters," he added.
"A cynical reading of the condition would suggest that the administration could retaliate against a political entity (to the detriment of those in need of relief) while protected by the vagaries of convenience, changing priorities, and national interest," McShane warned, flagging the termination clause as a vehicle for political punishment.
