Trump revokes DEI mandates in rash executive action. What is DEI rent?

On By Littum

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President Donald Trump fulfilled a campaign promise on Monday when he revoked a number of executive orders signed into law by President Joe Biden, which broadly established a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) framework across the federal government.

The reversal of the DEI provisions was part of a flurry of actions that President Trump committed on his first day in office to roll back Biden-era policies that promote equality and opportunity for diverse populations, including Native Americans, Hispanics, Black Americans, and LGBTQ+.

In the introduction to his executive order, Trump’s White House issued the following statement: “The injection of ‘diversity, equity and inclusion’ (DEI) into our institutions has corrupted them by replacing hard work, merit and equality with a divisive and dangerous hierarchy of preferences.”

As a follow-up, President Trump issued a announcement there were targeted executive actions from previous administrations from as far back as the 1960s that promoted equal employment opportunity and diversity and inclusion in the federal workforce, among other guiding principles that the White House referred to as “unlawful discrimination.”

“These unlawful DEI and DEIA policies also threaten the safety of American men, women and children across the nation by diminishing the importance of individual merit, aptitude, hard work and determination when selecting people for jobs and services in key sectors of the American community, including all levels of government and the medical, aviation and law enforcement communities,” the order said.

President Trump also mandated the return to the office of federal employees. In a directive to “the heads of all departments and agencies of the executive branch of government” presidential action stated that as soon as possible, they must “take all necessary steps to end telework and require employees to return to work in person at their respective duty stations on a full-time basis, provided that department and agency heads shall provide for exceptions they consider necessary.”

The federal government employs more than 2 million civilians nationwide, according to the Congressional Research Service, and California has the largest federal civilian workforce among the 50 states, with more than 147,000 employees as of March 2024.

What does DEI mean? When did it start?

Diversity, equity and inclusion refers to organizational frameworks that promote “the fair treatment and full participation of all people,” especially groups “historically underrepresented or subject to discrimination.”

In summary, DEI programs aim to create a place where everyone is welcome, supported and has the resources to succeed regardless of identity, race or orientation.

In 2020 and 2021, diversity policies and programs came into existence amid the nation’s racial census. But these are not new or radical ideas.

The Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity Act was passed in the mid-1960s, following the introduction of equal employment and affirmative action laws in workplaces, according to the Department of Labor. These laws also pushed companies to develop diversity training programs to help employees adapt to increasingly integrated office environments.

DEI lease meaning

A DEI hire refers to an individual who was hired through a process that uses DEI principles. This process ensures that all candidates, regardless of their background, have an equal opportunity to compete for a job.

The term “DEI hiring” has also become an insult, with some implying that someone was hired based solely on their demographic characteristics rather than their qualifications and experience.

DEI vs affirmative action. What is the difference?

Many people confuse DEI initiatives with affirmative action. But there is a difference: DEI initiatives aim to create an environment where all individuals, regardless of their background, feel valued, respected and have equal access to opportunity, while affirmative action also focuses on redressing historical injustices through preferential treatment mandated by law.

Affirmative action was banned in California in 1996 when voters passed Proposition 209, 55% to 45%. That was confirmed in 2020 when Proposition 209, which would have repealed 209, was defeated by a larger margin, 57% to 43%.

In early 2024, a proposed California constitutional amendment to allow some aspects of affirmative action was pulled from the November ballot, but the bill’s sponsor, Assemblyman Corey Jackson (Moreno Valley-D), said he was promised to bring the proposal back for a future state election.

In January, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit challenging the University of California system’s requirement that applicants for faculty positions file diversity statements.

USA TODAY contributed to this report.