On a chilly January evening preceding the New Hampshire primary, Donald Trump journeyed to Rochester, a city characterized by blue-collar, culturally conservative voters who swung in his favor during both the 2016 and 2020 elections.
In front of a packed auditorium, the former president made a striking declaration: “We will abolish every diversity, equity, and inclusion program across the entire federal government.” While such statements were often met with resounding applause at Trump rallies, behind the scenes, a coalition comprising numerous right-wing groups has been diligently working to transform Trump’s words into tangible policy.
At the helm of this effort is the Heritage Foundation, a think tank renowned for shaping Republican policies since the Reagan era. Together, conservative interests have devised a comprehensive strategy known as Project 2025, foreseeing Trump’s potential return to power. One facet of this agenda takes aim at the longstanding corporate initiative to enhance racial diversity within both cubicles and executive suites.
According to Project 2025, which spans nearly 900 pages, the Biden Administration’s emphasis on “racial equity” in all facets of national life, including employment, has been deemed problematic by conservatives. They argue that the private sector has been infiltrated by ideologies such as critical race theory, contending that historical patterns of racism entrenched within American institutions disadvantage Black individuals and other people of color. Consequently, they advocate for rolling back what they term “the DEI revolution in labor policy” in favor of more “race-neutral” approaches.
Former Trump administration official Russ Vought, now advising Project 2025, asserted in an interview with USA TODAY that measures to eradicate critical race theory from federal agencies, along with diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, are being prepared for potential implementation under a new administration.
Civil rights advocates, however, view Project 2025 with concern, characterizing it as the handiwork of a vocal minority of conservatives seeking to dismantle civil rights laws. They fear that such actions would undermine federal protections against racial discrimination if Trump were to be re-elected.
The proposed initiatives outlined in Project 2025 include prohibiting federal government agencies and contractors from utilizing taxpayer funds for training on systemic racism, abolishing the Labor Department’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, and ending disparate impact liability assessments based on race, ethnicity, or other factors.
Jonathan Berry, a former Trump administration official involved in Project 2025, asserts that the plan aligns with the policies pursued during Trump’s first term, which included banning diversity training by federal agencies and contractors. He suggests that a potential second Trump administration would continue in this direction.
Opponents of Project 2025, such as Marc Morial, president of the National Urban League, argue that the agenda promotes concepts like “race neutrality” as a means to undermine progress made by women and people of color in the workplace over the past six decades. They contend that such efforts effectively advocate for a return to the era of white privilege and segregation.
The pushback against diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives has intensified in recent years, fueled in part by the national dialogue following the murder of George Floyd in 2020. While businesses have increasingly prioritized diversity and inclusion efforts, conservative backlash against what they perceive as “woke policies” has gained momentum, culminating in executive actions and legislative proposals aimed at curtailing such initiatives.
As the political landscape evolves, the battle over diversity, equity, and inclusion in America’s workplaces continues, with competing visions of societal progress and equality at stake.