Donald Trump praises the Supreme Court's admissions decision
Donald TrumpFormer president and Republican presidential candidate
Trump welcomes the admissions ruling and describes it as a return to selection based on merit.
“This is the ruling everyone was waiting and hoping for and the result was amazing. It will also keep us competitive with the rest of the world. Our greatest minds must be cherished and that’s what this wonderful day has brought. We’re going back to all merit-based—and that’s the way it should be!”
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Was the Supreme Court right to reject Harvard and UNC's race-conscious admissions programs?
The Supreme Court invalidated Harvard's and UNC's challenged admissions programs on June 29, 2023. The majority said their use of race failed equal-protection requirements. The dissents argued that the decision misunderstood equality and would deepen racial inequality in education.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
ABC News reproduces a statement Trump gave to reporter Rachel Scott on June 29, 2023, welcoming the Supreme Court admissions ruling.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
ABC News reports that Trump said the ruling marked "a great day for America" and then quotes this statement he gave to ABC's Rachel Scott.
After the quotation
ABC then reports that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Trump's nearest primary competitor, said the Supreme Court "correctly upheld the Constitution" in the ruling.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Trump expressly approves the Court decision invalidating the Harvard and UNC admissions programs, describing the result as a return to merit-based selection.
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More from this case
Read the full caseBarack Obama urges renewed efforts after the admissions ruling
“Affirmative action was never a complete answer in the drive towards a more just society. But for generations of students who had been systematically excluded from most of America’s key institutions—it gave us the chance to show we more than deserved a seat at the table. In the wake of the Supreme Court’s recent decision, it’s time to redouble our efforts.”Read statement
Rick Scott says the admissions ruling should have been unanimous
“Today’s Supreme Court decision was the right one for our nation and should have been 9-0.”Read statement
Ted Cruz says the admissions ruling restores fairness
“Today the Supreme Court has ended our country’s long and failed experiment with racial quotas and government-sanctioned racial discrimination, and, in the process, restored some measure of objectivity and fairness to the college admissions process. This is a great day for all Americans.”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "Donald Trump praises the Supreme Court's admissions decision". First published: 2026-10-20. Last updated: 2026-10-20. https://disputeindex.com/events/6281-trump-welcomes-the-admissions-ruling-and-describes-it