The Hawaii Department of the Attorney General has prominently led the state’s efforts to push back against the Trump administration’s efforts to reduce the size of the federal government and eliminate so-called DEI programs and initiatives via the courts. Gov. Josh Green has also been working the phones directly with White House officials to remedy targeted issues, most recently to defend the University of Hawaii against allegations of antisemitism and to lobby for the restoration of U.S. Army’s webpage honoring the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. 

UH was identified as one of 60 institutions under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights for alleged antisemitic harassment and discrimination, a status some feared could be used as a pretext to cancel federal funding to universities in blue states or institutions whose student bodies have actively protested Israel’s occupation of Gaza.

The governor’s office said that Green intervened to help protect UH students and preserve key federal funding.

“I was on the phone to the White House dealing with UH funding at about 4:30 a.m. on March 11,” Green confirmed in a statement released on Monday. “I spoke with high-level administration officials, including the deputy chief of staff for the White House and a director of intergovernmental affairs. I explained that while there was a little on-campus conflict during the recent war in Gaza, it paled in comparison to what’s gone on at other universities. We are not an institution that is antisemitic. We’re giving them a letter to fortify our position, but they assured me the University of Hawaii is not on the chopping block for antisemitism.”

According to the governor’s office, the administration reaffirmed its commitment to upholding civil rights while maintaining funding streams that support research, education and student services at UH.

“I couldn’t stand by and allow a misunderstanding from the government to use civil rights investigations as a tool to undermine our students’ future,” Green said. 

Green also stepped in when the Army’s webpage chronicling the history and achievements of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team mysteriously disappeared last week, sparking fears that the apparent deletion was part of the U.S. Department of Defense’s recent efforts to remove public content featuring female and minority service members or units.

Trump campaigned on promises to rid the federal government of diversity, equity and inclusion programs and initiatives, calling them illegal and discriminatory. Defense secretary Pete Hegseth has also been outspoken on the subject, more than once declaring that “the single dumbest phrase in military history is ‘diversity is our strength.’”

“The story of the 442nd is a testament to the resilience and patriotism of Japanese-American soldiers who fought bravely for a country that once questioned their loyalty,” said Green said. “We must never allow their sacrifices to be erased from history.”

Green’s outreach helped to amplify public outcry over reports of the deletion. As with the Air Force’s ill-fated decision to remove videos of the all-black Tuskegee Airmen from its training modules, the overwhelming negative response to the Army unannounced and unexplained erasure of the highly decorated all-Japanese American unit prompted a quick reversal and the page was restored over the weekend.

Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at michael.tsai@charter.com.