President Trump is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, apparently calculating that such efforts have passed their peak and are viewed with skepticism by the public. is.
There is little doubt that Trump supporters are opposed to DEI, given their habit of opposing anything that smacks of cultural liberalism or “wokeness.”
But there are bigger questions about whether the extent of Trump's insistence on these measures will spark any backlash.
Some polls show broader than expected support for DEI, which has become increasingly embroiled in political wars.
President Trump reiterated his views on DEI measures in a virtual speech Wednesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
President Trump said, “My administration has taken action through the government and the private sector to eliminate all discriminatory diversity, equity, and inclusion nonsense. These are just nonsense policies.” said.
In the first days of his second administration, the action moved forward greatly and rapidly.
Earlier this week, President Trump issued a sweeping executive order claiming that “unlawful DEI and DEIA policies not only violate the letter and spirit of longstanding federal civil rights law, but also undermine our national unity.”
President Trump said such policies “negate and discredit traditional American values of hard work, excellence, and individual achievement in favor of an illegitimate, corrosive, and harmful identity-based spoils system.” “It harms and damages the people,” he added.
Specifically, President Trump ended DEI programs within the federal government, placed all federal employees working on such programs on administrative leave, and encouraged the private sector to also end DEI efforts.
Some of the details raise eyebrows.
For example, the new administration has provided templates for messages that federal agency heads suggest they can send to their employees.
The template informed such employees that the DEI program was being eliminated because it “separated Americans by race, wasted taxpayer money, and resulted in shameful discrimination.” .
It also asked government officials to report efforts “by some within the government to disguise these programs through the use of coded or imprecise language.”
Another requirement is for federal agencies to increase their oversight of the private sector, with each agency, at the direction of the White House, in addition to non-profits, educational institutions, and professional associations. “Identify up to nine potential civil compliance investigations.” .
Critics say this amounts to government overreach. They also say the “coded language” provision would foster mistrust among federal employees.
Additionally, President Trump's move included revoking one executive order dating back to 1965, when President Lyndon Johnson was in the White House. Measures taken during the Johnson administration required federal contractors to take affirmative steps to eliminate discrimination within their companies.
Trump's actions drew immediate criticism from Democrats and liberals.
The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) said in a statement that “MAGA Republicans are targeting the federal government, college campuses, and corporate America to cut off access to economic opportunity for Black and minority communities.” did.
CBC added that President Trump's executive order is “nothing more than an attempt to set our country back.”
Kyle Herrig, senior adviser at the left-leaning Congressional Integrity Project, argued that President Trump's anti-DEI actions constitute a “targeted attack on our democracy, free speech, and civil society.” Herrig also argued that the reference to nonprofit organizations was intended to “intimidate” them and “weaponize” the government.
DEI programs have long been a target of President Trump's ire and of Republican action more generally.
In February 2024, the Associated Press reported that Republicans were proposing “nearly 50 bills in 20 states” that would limit such efforts. Some prominent Republicans, most notably Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, have made fighting “wokeness” their political calling card.
However, despite these attacks, the majority of the public does not articulate a strong dislike of conservative DEI.
Advocates of the program argue that it is important for redressing historical inequalities, particularly regarding race and gender. legitimately expand recruitment and retention practices; And ensure a more comfortable workplace for all employees.
Some companies defend their diversity efforts as helping the company's overall performance. A 2019 report from consulting firm McKinsey & Co. claimed there was “sufficient evidence” that “diverse companies perform better.”
A Pew Research Center survey conducted in October 2024 found that 52% of U.S. workers surveyed believe it is a good thing to emphasize diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. However, only 21% felt it was a bad thing, and 26% were neither. For better or for worse.
Another Pew survey conducted in September found that multiple respondents believed DEI practices helped Black, Latinx, and Asian employees, but respondents also said they helped white women. was much more limited.
However, 36% said DEI “hurt” white men, and only 14% said it helped white men.
White men are one of Trump's most supportive demographic groups. According to a voter survey commissioned by The Associated Press and Fox News, Mr. Trump led former Vice President Kamala Harris by 22 percentage points among white men in the November election. His lead among white women was only 8 points, and he lost among voters of both genders, black and Latino.
But there are clear signs that enthusiasm for DEI is fading somewhat.
While major companies such as Amazon, Meta, Ford, Harley-Davidson, and John Deere have scaled back their DEI efforts, Costco has recently received some attention after its board defended such measures. .
The Pew survey also revealed concerns about slow progress in tackling DEI. For example, 21% of U.S. workers think a focus on DEI is a “bad thing,” an increase of 5 percentage points in less than two years.
President Trump will be hoping to ride the wave of skepticism, even as many view his anti-DEI efforts as another regressive change.
The Memo is a reported column by Niall Stanage.
