Why the Demise of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders Matters

By: Afia Mubashir

On January 20, 2025, a critical piece of the federal government’s support for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) was quietly erased. President Donald Trump signed an executive order that dismantled the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI), leaving millions of voices in silence. With no press release, no speeches, just the flick of a pen, 24 million Americans saw their only dedicated executive initiative disappear.

But let’s be clear: this wasn’t just another bureaucratic shuffle. It was the undoing of a lifeline that touched real lives and businesses, helping communities that have long been left behind in national conversations about race and justice. From helping small businesses survive a pandemic to addressing alarming healthcare disparities and standing up against anti-Asian hate, the WHIAANHPI played a pivotal role in shaping better futures for AANHPI communities. Its abrupt dismantling is more than a loss—it’s a message about the shifting political winds, a part of a broader campaign to silence race-conscious policies and undermine marginalized groups' progress.

The WHIAANHPI was not some distant, forgotten program—it had tangible, life-changing impacts on the AANHPI community. Most notably, it played a major role in helping AANHPI-owned businesses, which contribute over $900 billion to the economy. During the pandemic, these businesses faced an economic nightmare. Nearly 60% of Asian American-owned small businesses saw revenue losses, and 40% experienced closures. The Community Navigator Pilot Program, spearheaded by the initiative, assisted more than 13,000 AANHPI businesses in accessing crucial federal relief funds. Without the CNPP, many of these businesses would have likely closed for good, resulting in the loss of thousands of jobs and the erasure of cultural landmarks.

Despite making up only 6% of the population, Asian Americans own over 10% of all U.S. businesses. Those businesses and their surrounding communities were hit particularly hard by the economic downturn, and this federal support was essential to their survival. Yet, with the initiative now gone, the future of AANHPI small businesses remains uncertain. Without this kind of federal intervention, their ability to recover from economic fallout is severely diminished. The initiative’s elimination may very well become the difference between thriving or sinking for many of these small businesses.

The healthcare access issue is another area where the WHIAANHPI made a significant impact. 34% of Asian Americans and 30% of Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders have limited English proficiency, which is oftentimes a major barrier when it comes to accessing healthcare services. The initiative worked to fund translation services, ensuring that these individuals could get the care they needed—whether it was for routine checkups, emergency care, or mental health support. The initiative also helped bridge gaps in health literacy, reducing the disparities that lead to worse health outcomes for these communities.

Now, without this support, many AANHPI individuals will face even greater challenges in navigating a healthcare system that’s already hard to understand for non-native english speakers. Missed diagnoses, untreated conditions, and even preventable deaths could rise, particularly in communities already dealing with healthcare disparities

Perhaps most troubling is the initiative’s role in addressing the surge of anti-Asian hate crimes. According to the Center for the Study of Hate & Extremism, hate crimes targeting Asian Americans spiked by 339% in 2021 alone. The initiative wasn’t just a symbolic gesture—it secured funding for community-led anti-hate crime programs and pushed for better data collection on hate crimes against AANHPI individuals. These efforts empowered communities to document attacks, provide support for victims and pressur local authorities for better action.

Now, without the WHIAANHPI, these programs are left in limbo. Hate crimes targeting Asian Americans, while slightly declining, are still a persistent problem. Without the federal government’s support, community organizations will struggle to fill the gap, leaving many individuals at risk of further violence and discrimination.

So why would the Trump administration target an initiative that was clearly making a difference? The answer lies in a broader, ideological push against race-conscious policymaking. Since the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in 2023, conservative leaders have been systematically chipping away at any federal initiative that addresses race or ethnicity. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs have been rolled back across various states, and now, even federal initiatives like the WHIAANHPI are on the chopping block.

Trump’s vision of a colorblind America seems to involve stripping away resources that specifically support marginalized communities. But this isn’t just about “fairness”—it’s about weakening the growing political influence of communities of color, especially AANHPI Americans, who have become an increasingly powerful voting bloc in key battleground states like Georgia, Arizona, and Nevada.

Without initiatives like the WHIAANHPI, AANHPI communities lose not just economic, healthcare, and safety protections—they also lose a voice in shaping the policies that directly impact their lives. The elimination of this initiative is not a neutral act; it’s a clear attempt to diminish the power and visibility of a demographic that has increasingly aligned with progressive causes.

The loss of the WHIAANHPI is a significant setback for AANHPI communities, but it’s not the end of the fight. Advocacy organizations like Stop AAPI Hate and the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance are already pushing back, filling the void left by the initiative’s disappearance. But this battle can’t be won with just grassroots efforts. AANHPI voters, who make up over 6% of the U.S. electorate and are projected to double by 2040, must rally behind political leaders who will restore these vital resources.

This is not just about policy; it’s about ensuring that AANHPI voices are heard, respected, and empowered. But make no mistake: if the administration’s aim was to erase AANHPI communities from the national policy landscape, it’s up to the community to push back and prove them wrong.

Sources:

National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum. "Language Access in Healthcare."

Center for the Study of Hate & Extremism. "Anti-Asian Hate Crimes in the U.S.

Small Business Administration. "Community Navigator Pilot Program."

Axios. "Trump Rescinds Biden’s Diversity Orders."

SBA Report on COVID-19 Impact on AANHPI Businesses.