On Jan. 20, 2025, President Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 47th president of the United States and ordered for companies to remove DEI policies (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity) to get rid of “a definite anti-white feeling in this country.” Many companies scaled back to comply, while others stood their ground.
DEI is a program companies incorporate to bring equality into the workforce, regardless of background while focusing on workers’ capabilities. It is targeted to a demographic of (but not limited to) African-Americans, Hispanics and Latinos, LGBTQ+, the disabled community, and people of various religious backgrounds. However, as a result of the removal of these policies, companies have faced major losses in profit and revenue. Meanwhile, other companies have taken advantage of this opportunity, expanding their services to cater to those seeking alternative solutions.
Following Trump’s lead, Walmart stated they would abandon DEI commitments, winding down a Center for Racial Equity nonprofit, founded in 2020 with a $100 million investment. Amazon stated their removal of “outdated programs and materials” with DEI being one of the few. Meta, McDonalds, and Target announced they would end diversity programs intended to increase their hiring of diverse groups and individuals. Due to this, people have become outraged and persuaded to boycott by halting spending habits to demonstrate their stance on the issue.
In contrast, Apple stated their continual support of DEI, encouraging shareholders to reject anti-DEI proposals. With a majority of Apple users consisting of “Gen Z” and “Millenials” with a significant percentage being politically liberal and environmentally conscious, the company has tried to retain its customer base. Cisco and Microsoft have continued to support diversity for their respective tech companies. They consider DEI essential to their long-term success, aiming to foster an inclusive community.
Avery Gutierrez, a student against the removal of DEI, has stated, “I think it doesn’t make sense to assume that white people are oppressed when DEI services are there to level out the playing field and not to give advantages.” She believes that boycotting the companies is the right thing to do, knowing that the next four years will be a bit stressful since the president “clearly has no respect for the majority of the people.”
A 40-day boycott has been implemented to decrease the monthly profits of organizations supporting Trump’s administration. Meanwhile, people have been anticipating the results and official statements regarding the status of DEI from various companies.
Companies not mentioned in the story above that removed DEI programs include (but not limited to): State Farm, Bank of America, BlackRock, Chipotle, Deloitte, General Motors, PBS, State Street, The Smithsonian Institution, Victoria Secret, and Warner Bros. Discovery.
