Laverne Cox Claims Trump’s Policies Cost Her 90% of Income

WHO:

The Hollywood Reporter - Laverne Cox, a high-profile transgender star and Emmy-nominated actress known for her role in "Orange Is the New Black."

Variety - Laverne Cox, author of the memoir "Transcendent."

WHAT:

The Hollywood Reporter - Laverne Cox claims she has lost approximately 90 percent of her income over the last few years.

Variety - Cox stated that her corporate speaking engagements have dried up due to the Trump administration's policies.

WHERE:

The Hollywood Reporter - References to colleges and universities in the United States that may be affected by federal policies.

WHY:

The Hollywood Reporter - Cox attributes her income loss to the Trump administration's rollbacks of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and threats to defund institutions promoting gender ideology.

The Hollywood Reporter - Cox expressed concern that if her income has decreased significantly, it likely affects other transgender individuals who are less privileged.

HOW:

The Hollywood Reporter - Cox mentioned that she has been forced to dip into her savings and retirement fund to manage her finances due to the income loss.

The Hollywood Reporter - Cox indicated that the administration's policies have led to a perception that teaching opportunities related to gender ideology could be problematic, impacting her ability to secure teaching roles.

(UPDATED June 16, 2026 04:25 UTC)

Laverne Cox, the Emmy-nominated actress known for her role in "Orange Is the New Black" and author of the memoir "Transcendent," claims she has lost about 90 percent of her income in recent years. She attributes this significant decline to the Trump administration's rollbacks of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, which have also affected corporate speaking engagements and teaching opportunities related to gender ideology at colleges and universities across the United States. Cox expressed concern that her financial struggles could reflect a broader impact on less privileged transgender individuals, as she has had to rely on her savings and retirement funds to get by.