US President Donald Trump on Tuesday stepped up his campaign against diversity programs, pressuring the private sector to join the initiative and telling government employees in offices that run such programs that they will be placed on paid leave.
On his first day in office, Trump issued a series of executive orders to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion programs that promote opportunities for women, ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ people, and other traditionally underrepresented groups. Let’s try to give.
Civil rights advocates have argued that such programs are necessary to address long-standing inequalities and structural racism. Trump and his supporters say that DEI programs unfairly discriminate against other Americans and undermine the importance of candidates’ qualifications in job hiring or promotion.
In an executive order issued Tuesday, Trump rescinded 1965 executive orders on environmental protections, equal employment opportunities and incentives for federal contractors to achieve workforce balance based on race, gender and religion.
The 1965 order that was repealed was signed by then-President Lyndon Johnson to protect the rights of workers employed by federal contractors and to ensure that they are protected without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, Or be free from discrimination on the basis of nationality. Origin as per Labor Department.
Trump’s executive order aims to prevent private companies receiving government contracts from using DEI programs and hiring based on race and gender – what the order called “illegal DEI discrimination and preferences” – and to bar those from government agencies. Asks to identify private companies that may be. Subject to civil investigation.
“As part of this plan, each agency will select nine potential citizens of publicly traded corporations, large nonprofit corporations or associations, foundations with assets of $500 million or more, state and local bars and medical associations. and higher education institutions with endowments of more than $1 billion,” the order said.
Full details of how the Trump administration would implement the “citizen compliance investigation” were not immediately available.
The order issued Tuesday says federal and private sector employment preferences for military veterans can continue.
The executive order was celebrated by conservative activists and Republican leaders. It also faced condemnation from civil rights leaders who are strategizing to respond to Trump’s actions.
The Reverend Al Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network, formally announced Wednesday that the organization and its partners plan to identify two companies over the next 90 days that will be boycotted for abandoning DEI pledges. Reuters first reported the coordinated action ahead of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Basil Smikle Jr., a political strategist and policy consultant, said he was troubled by the Trump administration’s claim that diversity programs were “undermining the importance of individual ability, merit, hard work and determination” because it suggests that women And there is a lack of ability among people of color. Or qualification.
“This is a clear effort to hinder, if not diminish, the political and economic power of people of color and women,” Smickle said.
“What it does is it opens the door for more brotherhood,” he said.
The White House did not immediately respond to a Reuters request to address the criticism from civil rights advocates.
Separately, the Trump administration directed US federal government departments and agencies to eliminate all DEI programs, advising employees of such programs that they would be immediately placed on paid leave.
The Office of Personnel Management said in a memo that the government should inform employees of any government offices or units specifically focused on DEI by the close of business on Wednesday that their programs will be closed and employees will be furloughed .
Tuesday’s memo also included a template for agency heads to use, calling on federal employees to report alleged efforts by some in the government to conceal the continued use of DEI programs and initiatives by “using coded or inaccurate language.” Was encouraged. A directive using nearly identical wording was distributed on Wednesday to employees of various federal agencies and departments, including the State Department, according to a memo seen by Reuters.
Trump also signed a memorandum on Tuesday that ends a Biden administration initiative to promote diversity at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), ordering the FAA Administrator to immediately halt DEI recruiting programs, the White House said. Gives.
Trump ordered the FAA to conduct a safety review that would replace any employees who fail to demonstrate their competence.
“President Trump is immediately ending this illegal and dangerous program and requiring that all FAA appointments be based solely on ensuring the safety of airline passengers and overall job excellence,” the White House said in a fact sheet.
