In response to heightened political threats and legal challenges from the Trump administration, many companies across America are reducing or eliminating their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. The recent directive from Attorney General Pam Bondi to the Department of Justice to “investigate, eliminate, and penalize” DEI programs deemed illegal in private sector companies receiving federal funds has intensified this trend.
Former President Trump has signed an executive order banning DEI initiatives within the federal government, with public support from Elon Musk. This anti-diversity stance has led to significant changes across various sectors. For example, NASA has reportedly begun removing references to “environmental justice” and other diversity-specific terms. Meanwhile, PBS has closed its DEI office.
Several major corporations, such as McDonald’s, Harley-Davidson, and John Deere, have announced rollbacks of their DEI policies. Notably, Goldman Sachs has decided to eliminate its requirement for corporate boards filing to go public to include women and people of color. Conversely, companies like Apple, Costco, and Delta express commitment to maintaining their diversity efforts.
In the tech industry, companies are revisiting their DEI strategies. For instance, Amazon is reducing certain outdated DEI programs but continues to emphasize its commitment to diversity on its website. Apple recently rejected a proposal to remove DEI policies, affirming its dedication to inclusion.
Google is adjusting its approach by eliminating diversity hiring targets and reviewing its DEI initiatives to comply with new executive orders. IBM and Intel have made similar adjustments, focusing on maintaining compliance while still supporting inclusion on their platforms.
Meta has also scaled back its DEI efforts, eliminating certain programs and representation goals to avoid any perception of bias in decision-making. Microsoft released an inclusion report reaffirming its commitment to a diverse workforce, despite laying off its internal DEI team earlier this year.
Despite the trend, some tech companies maintain a strong commitment to DEI. Nvidia continues to emphasize diversity in its sustainability report, and Salesforce remains committed to diverse representation, as highlighted in its equality update.
OpenAI and Tesla have taken a different route, with OpenAI quietly shifting its focus away from DEI and Tesla removing most mentions of diversity from its official reports. Meanwhile, Workday maintains its DEI initiatives on its website, emphasizing diversity as a core business value.
As the political landscape evolves, companies across America are reassessing their DEI commitments, balancing compliance with ongoing efforts to create inclusive workplaces.
