Trump’s anti-DEI stance sends waves across America

President Donald Trump signed several executive orders this week targeting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives at federal agencies, causing chaos in the public and private sectors.

These orders mandate the closure of federal diversity offices and have their workers on administrative leave. The Trump administration also urged government employees to report on their colleagues and departments working in DEI. It also requires government agencies to list 

public and private companies whose DEI policies will be investigated.

Trump’s DEI moves are echoing through corporate America. In the days leading up to his presidency, several companies, including Walmart, McDonald’s, Meta, Lowe’s, and John Deere, scaled back their diversity programs.

Meanwhile, some companies are pushing back. JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Apple, Microsoft and Costco stand firm on their DEI commitments.

Costco shareholders overwhelmingly rejected a proposal by the conservative National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR) to scale back the retailer’s DEI initiatives. Costco reported a diverse workforce, with 44.2% white, 33.1% Hispanic, 9.3% Black and 8.5% Asian employees.

During recent interviews, JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon and Goldman CEO David Solomon reaffirmed their commitment. Dimon emphasized that supporting marginalized groups benefits the community and the bottom line.

The pushback comes amid broader anti-DEI sentiment, including initiatives from conservative groups and federal directives.

Trump’s executive orders could face legal challenges, especially as they test whether the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling ending affirmative action on college admissions applies to private employers.