President Donald Trump has been focusing on dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs at the federal level, leading to widespread repercussions.
On January 20, marking his return to the Oval Office, Trump enacted an Executive Order titled “Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing,” which criticizes DEI initiatives for causing “immense public waste and shameful discrimination.” He ordered all federal DEI personnel to be put on paid leave, ultimately culminating in layoffs. Another Executive Order, called “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity,” negated decades of previous efforts aimed at enhancing diversity and combating discrimination.
Read More: What Is DEI and What Challenges Does It Face Amid Trump’s Executive Orders?
Although a federal judge has currently placed a significant hold on the Executive Orders aiming to eliminate government backing for DEI programs, the foundation for anti-DEI actions has already been established. A post proclaiming “DEI is dead under the Trump Administration” appeared on the White House’s social media channels on February 20.
In pursuit of this agenda, Trump has dismissed several military leaders as part of an initiative with new Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to eliminate figures within the military who support diversity and equity principles.
The FBI also shut down its DEI office in December 2024, prior to Trump’s return to the White House. Trump voiced on his social media platform, Truth Social, that it “never should have been opened.”
Trump’s initiatives at the federal level have reverberated beyond government functions. His emphasis on DEI, which he also criticized during his campaign, coincides with significant corporations scaling back their DEI programs—some making minor adjustments while others completely dismantle whole branches of their operations.
Below is a list of major companies that have reduced or eliminated their DEI efforts in response to Trump’s initiatives.
Pepsi
According to an internal memo reported by Reuters during the week of February 17, Pepsi announced it would terminate DEI workforce representation goals, affecting management roles and its supplier network, as stated by PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta. The diversity page on PepsiCo’s hiring website is now marked as “missing.”
The memo also indicated that the company—comprising various snack and beverage brands such as Gatorade and Doritos—would prioritize sponsorships aimed at boosting business growth.
Pepsi’s decision contrasts with rival Coca-Cola, which remains committed to DEI initiatives, asserting that one of its objectives is “to be 50% led by women globally by 2030” and “to have race and ethnicity representation mirror national census data at all levels.”
Disney
On February 11, Axios reported that media giant Disney would be adjusting its DEI strategy, as conveyed in a message to staff from Chief Human Resources Officer Sonia Coleman.
Coleman indicated that Disney would discontinue its “Reimagine Tomorrow” initiative—aimed at showcasing narratives and talent from underrepresented communities—and modify certain diversity-related performance metrics within the organization. She also mentioned that the company plans to eliminate content disclaimers that appear before films like Dumbo, which note that the film includes “negative depictions and/or mistreatment of peoples or cultures”—a practice introduced by Disney in October 2020.
PBS
In February, a memo from PBS CEO Paula Kerger confirmed the public broadcaster would discontinue its DEI initiatives to “ensure that we are complying with the President’s Executive Order.” Kerger also announced that DEI staff members Gina Leow and Cecilia Loving would be departing the organization.
PBS receives funding for its children’s programming from the U.S. Department of Education and National Science Foundation via the private Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
This announcement came shortly after the head of the Federal Communications Commission, appointed by Trump, initiated an investigation into both PBS and NPR concerning sponsorships and advertisements.
Prominent banks
Notable banks such as Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Huntington, and Citigroup are scaling back their DEI initiatives, both in public-facing communications and internal diversity programs.
In JPMorgan Chase’s annual regulatory filing for 2024, the firm stated it “has been and anticipates continuing to face criticism from activists, politicians, and the public regarding business practices or positions taken by JPMorgan Chase concerning matters of public policy (such as diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives).”
The technology giant Google abolished its diversity hiring objectives following Trump’s Executive Order. Google provides various services to the federal government.
According to a memo sent to employees from Chief People Officer Fiona Cicconi—made public by The Verge—Google is reassessing its DEI initiatives “to comply with recent court decisions and U.S. Executive Orders on this subject.”
Additionally, Google’s calendar no longer shows certain commemorations, including the start of Black History Month on February 1, Women’s History Month on March 1, and Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Meta
The parent organization of Instagram and Facebook declared in January, before Trump’s return to the White House, that it would be curtailing its DEI programs. This includes disbanding the Meta DEI team, halting general inclusion initiatives, discontinuing the diverse-slate hiring approach, and ceasing goals for sourcing business suppliers from diverse-owned companies.
Amazon
In early January, the Washington Post reported that Amazon had purged various references to DEI, Black individuals, and LGBTQ+ communities from its “Policy Positions” webpage. A memo circulated to employees and obtained by Bloomberg indicated the company is “winding down outdated programs and materials” and “focusing on programs with verified outcomes.”
In a more pronounced move, Amazon’s 2024 annual report filed in February 2025 made no mention of diversity or inclusion, despite the 2023 report having highlighted both as areas of focus “to hire and develop the best talent.”
Read More: Civil and Human Rights Organizations Sue Trump Administration Over DEI, Gender Orders
Boeing
In November 2024, Boeing revealed plans to dismantle its DEI team. The company’s former vice president of DEI, Sara Bowen, departed in November, announcing on LinkedIn: “It has been the privilege of my lifetime to lead Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at the Boeing company over the past 5+ years. Our team worked diligently to support the evolving brilliance and creativity of our workforce. We achieved much—sometimes imperfectly, yet never easily—and aspired to accomplish even more. All efforts have been worthwhile.”
Target
Shortly after Trump resumed his presidency, retail chain Target announced it would terminate its DEI hiring objectives, discontinue annual reports to external organizations like the Human Rights Campaign—which evaluates workplace inclusion—and halt an initiative focused on expanding the product offerings from Black and minority-owned businesses.
This news preceded a lawsuit filed by Florida’s new Attorney General, James Uthmeier, with America First Legal against the retailer, alleging they “misled investors” through DEI initiatives that purportedly harmed shareholders.
McDonald’s
Just before Trump’s return to the Oval Office, fast-food chain McDonald’s announced plans to retire its “Supply Chain’s Mutual Commitment to DEI” pledge, opting instead for a more integrated dialogue with suppliers regarding inclusion linked to business performance.
They also indicated that their diversity team would now be rebranded as the “Global Inclusion Team” and would cease general representation objectives within the company to prioritize “embedding inclusion practices that enhance” business growth.
Walmart
Towards the end of 2024, amid Trump’s calls and those from other Republicans for an end to DEI initiatives, Walmart disclosed plans to phase out several diversity programs and objectives within its workforce.
The retailer reportedly will no longer provide DEI training to employees, as reported by the Washington Post, and is expected to remove specific LGBTQ+ merchandise from its inventory, according to CNBC.
Harley-Davidson
In August 2024, Harley-Davidson announced the termination of its DEI programs. In a statement shared on X, the company stated that it has no hiring quotas and “no longer has supplier diversity spend goals.”
“We are saddened by the negativity that has circulated on social media in recent weeks, aimed at dividing the Harley-Davidson community,” the statement noted.
Lowe’s
Retail giant Lowe’s shared in an internal memo, acquired by the Associated Press, in August 2024, that it would be reducing its DEI initiatives due to the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling against affirmative action and because of the backlash the company was facing online.
