President Donald J. Trump signs an executive order that puts an end to "diversity, equity, and inclusion" (DEI) practices in federal contracting and in the federal workforce. The freshly inked directive aims to ensure civil rights protection for all citizens and to enhance individual opportunity by demanding that hiring, promotions, and performance reviews within federal agencies focus solely on skills, initiative, performance, and diligence, setting aside any DEI-related factors, goals, policies, mandates, or requirements, as reported by the White House today.
In a notable shift from prior government practices, President Trump's order demands the streamlining of the federal contracting process by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and revokes Executive Order 11246, which called for affirmative action in contracting criteria. Moreover, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs is now barred from pressuring contractors to diversify their workforce based on race, sex, gender identity, sexual preference, or religion. Contractors are required to affirm their commitment to avoiding illegal discrimination, including actions tied to DEI initiatives, the White House stated.
This move by the Trump administration comes with additional directives for federal departments and agencies to take assertive action to halt DEI discrimination in the private sector. This encompasses conducting civil compliance investigations to uphold this latest standard. The Attorney General and the Secretary of Education have also been tasked with issuing joint guidance to fall in line with the Supreme Court's ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, effectively shaping the future approach toward school admissions policies.
Advocates of the executive action hail it as a pivotal civil rights measure, arguing that DEI practices have strayed from the path toward a colorblind and merit-based workplace and have, instead, fomented intergroup hostility and an environment that could be perceived as authoritarian. By putting an end to what is described as the anti-constitutional and demoralizing equity mandates of the Biden-Harris era, the order aims to reaffirm values of individual dignity, hard work, and excellence, which are touted as cornerstones of American greatness. Billions of dollars spent annually on DEI have not reduced bias or fostered inclusion but have created and then amplified prejudicial hostility and exacerbated interpersonal conflict, according to the order's proponents.
As stated in the White House release, "President Trump promised to terminate DEI in the federal government, protect equal opportunity, and force schools to end discriminatory admissions policies, and he delivered."
