If you’ve been tapped in to the world of business news in recent months, you’re likely well aware that DEI measures are firmly on the chopping block, thanks to the Trump administration. The DEI framework, which seeks to support diversity, equity and inclusion within the workplace, has been an invaluable tool in the national marketplace to ensure that those in marginalized communities are given a fair shot at employment and upward mobility. Much like other social programs, such as affirmative action, DEI has been integral to the success of disabled individuals, underprivileged youths and those who identify as part of the LGBTQ community. Unfortunately, a powerful minority of fringe right-wing lawmakers have taken issue with DEI initiatives and have quixotically maligned the entire practice as discriminatory.

Since the newly established White House cabinet has become so dead-set on eliminating DEI measures across the board, legal requirements for fair hiring practices have already been stripped to their bare bones. Trump even went so far as to blame the recent Washington DC plane crash on DEI hiring, though he refused to elaborate on this finger-pointing in any meaningful capacity. Luckily, a few large corporations, including Costco, Apple, Delta Airlines and more have expressed individual commitments to upholding DEI. While this solidarity is welcome, not all major companies have agreed to uphold the same standards. So, let’s take a moment to unpack which massive corporations are shutting down their DEI measures entirely, and investigate exactly what this means for the future of corporate America.

What Exactly Is DEI?

Though DEI has become something of a political buzzword thanks to Trump and his associates, the policies upheld by the framework have actually been around for a long time. Some have even drawn comparisons between DEI and affirmative action, though there are a few key distinctions between the two. Affirmative action was first passed via executive order by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965 as a means of adjusting hiring, college admissions and other contract work to prevent discrimination based on race, color, national origin or religion. When obeyed, this meant that business owners could no longer discriminate against demographics based on their own personal feelings of racism or xenophobia. These worker protections were expanded to include hard quotas for BIPOC employees based on demographic data with the Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972.

DEI, by the same token, expects major business entities to hire certain percentages of BIPOC and disabled applicants, though it is a much more expansive term. Diversity, equity and inclusion measures carry a wide range of applications, including handicap accessibility, recognition of Black History Month on corporate calendars, or even involving lower-level employees a chance to have their voice heard in key management meetings. All in all, DEI is designed not just to get members of marginalized groups hired, but to elevate them so that they can progress within their chosen career path and see the kinds of successes normally awarded to those with immense privilege. Though the fringe right-wing lawmakers malign DEI as hiring against merit, it’s actually the most merit-based system humanly possible.

How Did Trump Slash DEI Policies?

Trump’s day-one executive order effectively terminated all DEI positions within the federal government, allowing the administration to terminate hundreds of employees without advanced notice. It also rescinded a series of civil rights protections dating back to Johnson’s affirmative action executive order in 1965, lifting any and all DEI requirements from private corporations across the United States. This means that businesses such as Target now have the option to abandon their DEI policies if they so choose, without facing government mandates. Of course, the federal government cannot legally demand that private businesses make these adjustments to their corporate charter, so any company, such as Costco, could choose to uphold DEI measures of their own volition.

Now, we’re seeing exactly that, as numerous business entities have come forth with public statements to announce a continued effort to support DEI, or a new resolution to abandon it entirely. Unfortunately, the government doesn’t appear to be playing within the rules here, as dozens of state attorneys general have petitioned businesses like Costco to drop their DEI policies or face a series of lawsuits. As far-right Republicans continue to rail against diversity protections, however, average consumers have expressed massive support for businesses upholding their commitment to equity, as shown by numerous consumer reports and profit turnovers. Pew Research data confirms that diversity in management results in revenue gains of up to 19 percent, while a GLAAD survey indicate that Americans are twice as likely to purchase from brands that vocally support LGBTQ rights.

Which Companies Are Dropping DEI?

The list of companies following the White House’s lead by dropping DEI measures is exhaustive, and growing with each passing day. While we can’t guarantee to have caught each and every example, there are several key players in the national workforce that have made their stance on this topic abundantly clear. In the days since Trump has issued an executive order eschewing DEI, the following businesses have formally expressed that they’ll be doing away with the hiring standard immediately.

  • Harley Davidson
  • Ford Motors
  • Boeing Aircrafts
  • Meta
  • Amazon
  • Google
  • X (FKA Twitter)
  • Lowe’s Home Improvement
  • John Deere
  • Brown-Forman Distilleries
  • Molson Coors
  • Jack Daniel’s
  • McDonald’s
  • Walmart
  • Target
  • The Smithsonian Institution
  • And more.

Some of these companies are ending DEI protections entirely, allowing them to reduce the overall diversity in the workplace moving forward. Others are simply stripping back their involvement in celebrations of diversity such as Pride Month, Black History Month and Juneteenth. Likewise, government-owned bodies such as the FBI are mandated to follow Trump’s anti-DEI policy. This means that institutions like the Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Housing and Urban Development and Department of Education will all be disbanding their respective DEI structures. The outcry surrounding this controversial move has been massive, though it’s mostly fallen on deaf ears as the Trump admin seems to be on an ongoing tirade against anything the president considers to be “woke” in nature.

Amazon’s DEI Changes

As we covered in the list above, Amazon is discontinuing any and all previous bids for diversity, equity and inclusion. This is deeply unfortunate for a number of reasons, especially because the massive corporation has its hand in so many different industries. Amazon’s rollback on DEI efforts includes those once enshrined in the company culture of their film and television studio, their massive e-commerce platform and their grocery ventures with Whole Foods and Amazon Go.

A spokesperson from Amazon Studios specifically tried to soften the blow during a discussion with The Hollywood Reporter earlier this week by explaining, “We’ve said from the beginning that our efforts to ensure diverse and inclusive storytelling would be fluid and change over time. We continue to evolve this vital work in concert with our commitment to keep our global audience of viewers at the center of everything we do. Above all, we strive to tell the very best stories, while empowering diverse voices in our storytelling wherever possible.”

Is Home Depot Upholding Their DEI Promises?

Home Depot has something of a spotty track record in the world of consumer-minded branding, as the home improvement company has donated millions to the Trump campaign over the course of the last several elections. Given this history, it’s rather shocking that Home Depot has neither made a public statement regarding their stance on DEI, nor scrubbed their website of language enshrining diversity, equity and inclusion. As of this writing, Home Depot’s corporate website still contains an active DEI section, which specifically outlines the business’ commitment to honor military veterans, empower low-level employees to progress through the ranks to management and beyond, and award those from disenfranchised backgrounds with more than $2 million in grants to HBCUs.

What Is Tesla’s Position On DEI?

Eagle-eyed readers may be shocked to see that the Tesla brand is not present in the above list. While Tesla maintains a web page outlining their dedication to DEI, the automotive company is owned and operated by noted Trump ally Elon Musk, leading many to assume that the company would rail against DEI as Musk has numerous times in the past. While the company hasn’t emerged as a key voice against diversity, equity and inclusion, they have removed references to DEI within their internal reports since mid-2023. The business has also faced allegations of racism and sexism from employees in recent years, showcasing an overall lack of care for marginalized groups which some critics have maligned as being endemic to the company culture.

So Tesla is a bit fuzzy in terms of their position on DEI, despite claiming that diversity was integral to the company’s DNA just a few years ago. Elon’s X (formerly Twitter) has been a premiere place for those who hate DEI to espouse their misguided feelings, including a December 2023 post from the billionaire head honcho himself which reads “DEI must DIE. The point was to end discrimination, not replace it with different discrimination.” Musk quixotically self-replied to the post with the follow-up “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are propaganda words for racism, sexism and other -isms. This is just as morally wrong as any other racism and sexism.”

How Can Consumers Fight Back?

Whether you’re an employee of any of the entities named above, or just a casual consumer, there are a few things you can do to make your stance on DEI heard. Citizens across the United States have been greatly encouraged to reach out to their local lawmakers in recent weeks, as a means to put pressure on the Trump White House to represent the will of the people. Beyond that, you can always vote your conscience using the power of the almighty dollar and refuse to do business with any of the aforementioned companies if this is something you feel strongly about. At this point in time, there are no calls for a full-on boycott, though that is becoming a strong possibility as human rights organizations continue to take note of the ongoing attacks that marginalized communities are facing.

Certain CEOs and leaders in the business world have continued to champion DEI as both an effective culture and quality of life framework. Others have pointed out that their DEI standards have actually raised their financial bottom line. Mark Cuban, Tim Cook and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell are among the most vocal proponents for DEI, as they have each made public statements confirming that their respective investments have seen massive upticks with these newly established hiring guidelines in place. The Human Rights Campaign has also chastised the Trump administration for its coordinated attack on diversity, equity and inclusion, arguing that this crackdown is being, “Led by the same actors who have been driving the wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislative and legal attacks across the country” in a Fall 2024 press release.

Tim Cook addressed his investors directly when doubling down on the merits of DEI, explaining that his commitment to share prices was less stringent than his commitment to company culture, global impact, and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. This was a refreshing change of pace from a number of other tech giants including Meta, X and Amazon, as Trump seems to have courted a gaggle of tech CEO’s as close allies.

Why Has DEI Become Such A Cultural Battleground?

It’s hard to say exactly why DEI has become such a hot-button issue for certain fringe political groups, as DEI policies are beneficial to everybody, including those who come from a privileged background. Regardless, Trump saw fit to label DEI as “illegal and immoral” in the language of his Executive Order, before claiming that DEI policies were infiltrating the federal government, as though they were designed by some kind of malevolent foreign agency. Truthfully, it appears as though the war on DEI stems solely from a place of misplaced hatred, as the policies have a positive impact on employees, consumers and profit margins alike.

Costco CEO Ron Vachris explained his decision to double down on DEI protections in a recent memo, as part of a collective known as Washington Employers for Racial Equity, or WERE. Per their official newsletter, “Equity will increase prosperity for our entire state. Our communities will be stronger, healthier and more vibrant. Our economy and our companies will benefit from a greater diversity of ideas, a more robust talent pipeline and increased opportunity for all Washingtonians. We will start by owning our part of this problem, actively working to contribute to solutions, and using our voices to advocate for governmental action that supports transformational and lasting change.”

The Future Of DEI

For now, things are looking pretty bleak for the future of DEI. Trump’s executive order ending diversity protections was delivered on the very first day of his presidency, meaning he and his key supporters clearly see it as a significant issue. Luckily, POTUS cannot currently force private companies to drop their hiring standards and protections against the will of their owners or shareholders. This means that the government’s war on DEI only serves to reveal which corporations are supporting DEI because they mean it, and which are simply following trends.

As we venture forth into the second Trump term, we can surely expect many similar culture war issues to pop up. Luckily, the administration has shown that it can be swayed by the public on some fronts, as Trump has already heel-turned on campaign promises including banning TikTok and imposing massive tariffs on Canada. There are many ways to support diversity, equity and inclusion in your workspace and in your personal life- even if billion dollar corporations refuse to follow suit.