In the two months of his second term, President Donald J. Trump has aggressively targeted Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives through a series of executive actions aimed at dismantling programs both within and beyond the federal government to limit the control of DEI on businesses and corporations around the nation.
On January 20, 2025, President Trump signed the “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing” executive order in an effort to place all federal DEI staff on leave. With the signing of this order, Trump directed the start of disassembling DEI protocols across the country, labeling them as unnecessary.
Ramapo Junior Meghan Prendergast stated in an interview, “DEI is extremely important to help prevent issues like discrimination, bias and exclusion. It’s helpful to create work environments that are innovative, dynamic, and diverse, which I think is super important.”
DEI as a formal concept has evolved over a couple of decades and has roots in the U.S. from the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, when acts such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 aimed to address racial and gender discrimination (CBS News).
“About six-in-ten (61%) say their company or organization has policies that ensure fairness in hiring, pay or promotions, and 52% say they have training or meetings on DEI at work” according to Pew Research. A majority of employed adults look at DEI as a good thing and support the increased focus on it.
President Trump labels DEI initiatives as “illegal and immoral discrimination programs” that are considered “radical and wasteful” (The White House).
His main goal in dismantling the DEI system in the United States is to end race and identity-based preferences in hiring, education, and government policy. His supporters argue that DEI programs promote “reverse discrimination” and “waste taxpayer money” by prioritizing diversity over merit-based decision-making. His main priority is to re-establish a system that is “race-blind” and solely merit-based, specifically in federal hiring, military promotions, and government contracting (Times Magazine).
“I’ve heard of many big companies on the news who are commenting on federal DEI policies. It’s definitely a controversial topic that is being debated right now. With Trump’s efforts to reverse DEI, the workplace will definitely see a shift, whether positive or negative,” stated Ramapo Junior Emily Dyer.
After already signing multiple executive orders to face DEI and starting the dismantling of this system, many large corporations have taken action; some battling against this federal order and others in support of this change.
Ben & Jerry’s, although being an ice cream brand, has been extremely prominent in promoting social change and social activism with campaigns around marijuana legalization, racial justice, and LGBTQ+ pride. On the topic of dismantling DEI, Ben & Jerry’s has vocalized their views and told CNBC in an interview that they are not going to roll back their DEI policies.
The company has stated, “We believe that companies that timidly bow to the current political climate by attempting to turn back the clock will become increasingly uncompetitive in the marketplace and will ultimately be judged as having been on the wrong side of history,” (qtd. in Time Magazine).
As the political landscape continues to change under President Donald Trump’s administration, many corporations are standing up and voicing their stance on his new policies, not just DEI. Their voices make an impact on a large scale and have a crucial role in informing the public on current events. DEI remains a deeply debated and controversial issue in the U.S., and as policies continue to evolve, the debate over DEI will shape the future of workplace diversity, education, and government programs in the U.S.
