'Structural racism': Top taxpayer-funded academy rife with DEI programs, hefty executive salaries

FIRST ON FOX: The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has raked in hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer funds in recent years while doling out hefty salaries to its top brass and bankrolling a variety of left-wing initiatives. 

That budget includes several salaries for top-level positions at NASEM that exceed $1 million per year, according to the organization's 990 forms reviewed by Fox News Digital.

National Academy of Medicine President Victor Dzau receives a salary of $1,026,973 per year, National Academy of Engineering President John Anderson earns $1,027,185 per year, and National Academies President Marcia McNutt earns $1,061,843 each year.

Additionally, NASEM's chief diversity and inclusion officer, Laura Castillo-Page, earned $333,788 in 2023.

NASEM has used its federal funding to promote a variety of liberal causes, including putting on events related to climate change, racism and "health equity."

"A planning committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will organize a virtual public workshop to explore facets of anti-Black racism in U.S. science, engineering, and medicine (SEM)," NASEM wrote. "The workshop will review the discussions at recent workshops of the Roundtable on Black Men and Black Women, identify policies and practices that perpetuate racism in SEM, and lay a foundation of knowledge for others to move more effectively towards anti-racist outcomes." 

McNutt has also been critical of DOGE chief and X owner Elon Musk on social media and said last year, "This will be my last post on Twitter/X. I can no longer be part of a platform that actively encourages disinformation and amplifies misinformation, especially when its CEO colludes to undermine democracy."

In a statement to Fox News Digital, a NASEM spokesperson said, "Each year, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine conduct hundreds of studies, workshops, and other activities at the request of federal and state agencies, Congress, foundations, and private-sector sponsors on a variety of critical issues facing the nation."

The spokesperson added that 58% of NASEM's funding came from the government in 2024.

"For decades, our work has advanced the American economy, strengthened our national security, bolstered U.S. global competitiveness, and improved our nation's health and safety. We have taken measures to ensure that we are in compliance with executive orders, including closing our Office of Diversity and Inclusion. We stand ready, as we always have, to advise the new administration on its priorities."

NASEM's spending comes under the backdrop of the newly formed DOGE efforts by Musk and the Trump administration to rid the federal government of DEI and wasteful spending. 

Trump's January executive order removing DEI from the federal government has already had an affect on NASEM and caused it to close its DEI program and remove DEI from its website, the New York Times reported.

It is unclear if DOGE's efforts will continue to effect the day-to-day operations at NASEM.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.