Donald Trump sparked controversy again with a recent announcement about limiting protections for blind vendors under a federal law — the Randolph-Sheppard Act of 1936. This puts people with disabilities at a serious disadvantage, particularly when it comes to job opportunities. The Trump administration began implementing the limitation within the Army.
The Randolph-Sheppard Act was created during the Great Depression to provide blind Americans an opportunity to earn a sustainable living by granting them a legally mandated preference to operate vending and dining facilities on federal property. Across generations, the act has helped several families become financially independent. What critics describe as Trump’s latest anti-DEI target has begun within the Army.
Donald Trump’s cruelty is endless.
He just cut a program that helps people who are blind run businesses. pic.twitter.com/hjuBcn1WgL
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) November 5, 2025
According to a notice on the Federal Register website, blind applicants will no longer receive vendor preference. This directly contradicts the act. The move is a significant setback for those who rely on the law for financial stability and their livelihoods.
The announcement follows a statement from Trump’s Education Secretary, Linda McMahon, addressing the issue. McMahon cited the country’s best interests to justify the measure, saying it “adversely affects the interests of the United States.”
Following McMahon’s approval of Trump’s anti-DEI move, an Education Department spokesperson also commented on the situation. Madi Biedermann focused on the measure implemented within the Army, citing an unpublished notice on the Federal Register website. The spokesperson wrote, “The army reports significant price and efficiency issues due to the requirement.”
Biedermann continued by outlining the consequences of continuing to hire blind vendors under the act. She claimed it impacted “military readiness” and “imposed an undue burden” on the Army.
Trump’s gutting of special education services isn’t “efficiency”, it’s cruelty disguised as cuts, robbing blind entrepreneurs of their hard-fought independence while he golfs away our future.
— Richard Angwin (@RichardAngwin) November 6, 2025
It wasn’t just the Education Department backing the anti-DEI move, which has now expanded to target the blind community. Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll made a controversial remark about a provision of the Randolph-Sheppard Act. In an October podcast, Driscoll alleged that people were faking disabilities, including blindness, to access the program’s benefits.
A representative for the Education Department immediately responded to Driscoll’s remarks. An Education Department representative told HuffPost they were “appalled” by the comment.
Teaching blind people to read braille is too woke for Trump’s Department of Education, apparently. 🙄
Call your Senators at 202-224-3121 and demand this funding be restored. pic.twitter.com/8Epjh9w9a5
— Annalea 🪷🐝🎄🌻🍌 (@citizengatsby) September 16, 2025
In light of Trump’s anti-DEI move, funding for two major National Braille Training Grants was cut, the Education Department announced in September. A user on X reshared a TikTok from a blind individual advocating for the reinstatement of funding to learn Braille.
The user @witchyblindgirl shared the impact of the swift action and highlighted its limitations. Braille is the primary way blind people communicate, read, and, in many ways, navigate life. It takes tremendous effort to both learn and teach such a critical skill — one that many blind individuals may not be able to learn at an institution.
Many voiced their support in the video’s comment section, criticizing Trump’s actions. One user wrote: “What the Department of Education is doing is unconstitutional. Americans have the right to an education. Funded for the people, by the people.” A second user commented, “This is cruelty at this point…” A third pointed out, “This is not legal! It violates the IDEA – a law that ensures disabled students have access to a public education.”
