President Trump urged Apple to remove diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) rules on Wednesday after Tech Giant shareholders voted for a proposal to abolish their diversity commitment.
“Apple should not only coordinate them, but remove the Dei rules,” Trump wrote in a post about Truth Society. “Day was a very bad hoax for our country. Day is gone!!!”
Approximately 97% of Apple's shareholders voted against a “request to halt DEI efforts” at its annual shareholders meeting on Tuesday, taking on a national trend among large companies.
The iPhone maker recommended that shareholders vote for the proposal, claiming it was “unnecessary” and “inappropriately attempting to limit Apple's management capabilities.”
The proposal was presented by the National Center for Public Policy Studies, a conservative think tank that Dei argues that “poses litigation, reputation and financial risks to businesses and therefore economic risks to shareholders.”
The corporate anti-DEI push reflects similar efforts by the Trump administration. Trump has signed several executive orders attempting to eliminate federal DEIs, and is also putting pressure on private companies to do the same.
However, some of the president's efforts have been hit by obstacles in court. A federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked changes or termination agreements deemed DEI-related.
Apple's Tuesday move contrasts with some of its fellow tech giants who have returned their diversity commitments in recent months. Last month, Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta announced that it was cutting DEI teams and related programs.
According to CNBC, Google revealed earlier this month that it had dropped its DEI employment targets, and Amazon said in an internal memo in December that it had suspended some of its DEI program.
