President Donald Trump has wasted no time fulfilling his promise to end diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives since taking office this January, signing executive orders that target decades-old practices dating back to the Civil Rights era of the 1950s and 1960s.
Several groups and the city of Baltimore have sued him, and a federal judge has temporarily blocked parts of his executive order for “arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement.” His opponents note that these new laws fail to define what an “illegal DEI” practice is.
DEI programs have been around for decades, but the term has become highly politicized and misunderstood these past few election cycles.
Trump characterizes DEI as discriminatory, stating in his inaugural address that his administration will “end the government policy of trying to socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life.”
He and his allies recently blamed DEI, without evidence, for California’s devastating wildfires and the plane crash in Washington, D.C. that killed 67 people on Jan. 29, 2025.
Industry leaders cite these arguments as an effort to discredit people of color and programs that help promote diversity.
What exactly is DEI?
The components of DEI are generally defined as:
Diversity: Embracing people’s differences in terms of race, ethnicity, age, religion, gender, sexuality, physical or mental ability, class status, military service status, or any other aspect of social identity.
Equity: Treating everyone fairly and providing equal opportunities.
Inclusion: Creating a culture where everyone is respected and encouraged to voice their ideas and perspectives.
DEI has its roots in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed employment discrimination, banned segregation in public spaces, and created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), a federal agency that enforces anti-discrimination laws in the workplace.
DEI is not about meeting diversity hiring quotas, which the EEOC has deemed illegal. DEI programs are designed to foster equitable working environments and encourage companies to address any discriminatory policies and practices.
Companies with strong workplace diversity and DEI policies have been shown to have greater levels of retention, innovation, and trust among employees. A majority of workers in a 2023 Pew Research Center survey reported that DEI-related policies and resources have had positive impacts in their workplaces.
For example, parental and maternity leave is considered a DEI practice, as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 forbids workplace discrimination based on pregnancy, intentions to become pregnant, childbirth, breastfeeding, and other related medical conditions.
The United States Military Academy recently disbanded at least 12 of its clubs, including the Vietnamese-American Cadet Association.
Another DEI initiative is employee resource groups like the Women’s Network, Disability Inclusion Network, Black Employee Network, and Asian Leadership Network, which have been under threat from Trump’s new laws.
Many of these groups have canceled meetings or preemptively shut down to comply with his executive orders. The United States Military Academy, one of the five academies that trains cadets for the U.S. Army, recently disbanded at least 12 of its clubs, including the Society of Black Engineers, the Asian-Pacific Forum Club, and the Vietnamese-American Cadet Association.
What actions has Trump taken against DEI so far?
One of Trump’s executive orders, “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing,” calls for the termination of “discriminatory and illegal” programs, policies, and offices related to DEI or environmental justice within the federal government.
All federal employees in DEI roles were placed on administrative leave “effective immediately.” It is unclear how many workers have been affected, though Veterans Affairs reported they placed at least 60 staff on leave following the permanent closure of their DEI offices.
The law also directs federal agencies to report any attempts to “disguise” DEI programs or roles.
Another executive order, “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity,” directs federal agencies to take “strong action” against DEI in the private sector and provide recommendations for civil compliance investigations against corporations with these practices.
Several companies have now started rolling back their diversity initiatives, including Meta, Amazon, Disney, Google, Target, Walmart, McDonald’s, PBS, Lowe’s, Ford, Toyota, and Nissan.
The law also revokes several other executive orders dating back to 1965, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Rule signed by former President Lyndon B. Johnson and former President Bill Clinton’s 1994 executive order to address the disproportionately high human health and environmental impacts faced by low-income and minority populations.