What is a DEI program and what did Trump change?
What is DEI?
DEI stands for diversity, equity, and inclusion. The purpose of DEI plans was to foster equitable environments in businesses and schools, particularly for historically marginalized communities. While researchers say that DEI initiatives stem back to the 1960s, more were launched and expanded in 2020 during increased calls for racial justice.
What did Trump do?
The executive order on affirmative action revokes an order issued by President Lyndon Johnson, and curtails DEI programs by federal contractors and grant recipients. The move could touch on everything from anti-bias training to funding for minority farmers and homeowners.
The Office of Personnel Management in a Tuesday memo directed agencies to place DEI office staffers on paid leave by 5 p.m. Wednesday and take down all public DEI-focused webpages by the same deadline. Several federal departments had removed the webpages even before the memorandum. Agencies must also cancel any DEI-related training and end any related contracts, and federal workers are being asked to report to Trump’s Office of Personnel Management if they suspect any DEI-related program has been renamed to obfuscate its purpose within 10 days or face “adverse consequences.”
Why is Trump targeting DEI?
In recent years, Trump and conservatives have assailed DEI initiatives across American society, characterizing them as discriminatory. Trump referred to the orders in his inaugural address, saying in part that his administration would resist what he described as efforts to “socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life.” He added that his administration would “forge a society that is colorblind and merit-based.”
What will the orders mean?
Here’s a look at some of the policies and programs that Trump will aim to dismantle:
Diversity offices, training, and accountability
Trump’s order will immediately gut Biden’s wide-ranging effort to embed diversity and inclusion practices in the federal workforce, the nation’s largest at about 2.4 million people. Biden had mandated all agencies to develop a diversity plan, issue yearly progress reports, and contribute data for a government-wide dashboard to track demographic trends in hiring and promotions.
Federal grant and benefits programs
Trump’s order paves the way for an aggressive but bureaucratically complicated overhaul of billions of dollars in federal spending that conservative activists claim unfairly carve out preference for racial minorities and women.
Pay equity and hiring practices
It’s not clear whether the Trump administration will target every initiative that stemmed from Biden’s DEI executive order. For example, the Biden administration banned federal agencies from asking about an applicant’s salary history when setting compensation, a practice many civil rights activists say perpetuates pay disparities for women and people of color.
Conclusion
The moves by Trump’s administration have sparked widespread criticism from civil rights groups and advocates for diversity, equity, and inclusion. The impact of these changes is yet to be seen, but they have already sent shockwaves through the federal government and beyond.
FAQs
* What is DEI?
DEI stands for diversity, equity, and inclusion.
* What did Trump do?
Trump’s administration revoked an order issued by President Lyndon Johnson and curtailed DEI programs by federal contractors and grant recipients.
* Why is Trump targeting DEI?
Trump and conservatives have assailed DEI initiatives across American society, characterizing them as discriminatory.
* What will the orders mean?
Trump’s orders will aim to dismantle a wide range of policies and programs, including diversity offices, training, and accountability measures.
