Abbott's comments came after A&M invited staffers and students to attend a conference that a conservative activist said broke the state’s ban on diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

Gov. Greg Abbott is threatening to force out Texas A&M University President Mark Welsh III over the university's apparent attempt to send students to a conference the governor said flouted the state's new diversity, equity and inclusion ban.

Texas A&M University and at least eight other Texas public universities will no longer attend a student recruiting conference after Gov. Greg Abbott threatened to fire the university's president for attending the event.