On Thursday, President Donald Trump attributed the fatal plane collision in Washington, DC, which resulted in 67 deaths, in part to the Federal Aviation Administration’s “diversity push.” However, proponents of DEI—including many of the country’s top corporations—maintain that diversity initiatives have positively impacted their businesses.
Trump did not provide evidence to substantiate his claim that efforts to increase representation among minorities, people with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups in the workforce contributed to the crash. Instead, he stated that “it just could have been” and cited his “common sense.”
Trump also criticized the FAA’s recruitment of individuals with disabilities during Joe Biden’s presidency, despite the fact that the FAA’s Aviation Safety Workforce Plan for 2020-2029, issued during Trump’s first term, explicitly promoted “the hiring of people with disabilities and targeted disabilities.”
This is not the first time critics of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives have suggested such policies could have life-or-death consequences. Following the California wildfires, Elon Musk claimed, “DEI means people DIE,” taking aim at the Los Angeles Fire Department and government officials for their diversity efforts.
The Trump administration has moved to dismantle DEI policies within the federal government by placing DEI employees on leave, eliminating the role of DEI in hiring and federal contracting, and implementing other measures to curb diversity-focused practices.
In the corporate sector, DEI typically includes recruitment strategies, employee training programs, and other initiatives designed to increase representation across race, gender, socioeconomic status, religion, and other backgrounds.
Rather than lowering hiring standards, DEI supporters argue that such initiatives expand the talent pool, allowing businesses to identify even more qualified candidates than they might have in the past. Business leaders caution that companies that abandon diversity and inclusion efforts risk overlooking top talent.
“At its best, DEI is about developing talent, measuring it in a fair way and finding hidden talent and disadvantaged talent in a world where not everybody has an equal chance to exhibit their abilities,” Ken Frazier, the first Black CEO of a major pharmaceutical company, told CNN in an October interview.
Research conducted by Boston Consulting Group, analyzing data from over 27,000 employees across 16 countries, indicates that DEI initiatives contribute to higher profitability, lower employee turnover, and greater workplace motivation.
Donald Trump Allegations on DEI (Photo: Getty Images)Amid increasing opposition from right-wing activists, lawsuits from conservative legal groups, and pressure from right-leaning consumers, numerous major corporations have scaled back some of their DEI commitments. Companies such as Walmart, McDonald’s, Target, Harley-Davidson, and Ford have all adjusted their diversity programs.
In a report published in November, the conservative think tank Heritage Foundation found that 486 out of the Fortune 500 companies still publicly acknowledge their commitment to DEI on their websites.
Most changes at companies like Walmart and Target have been largely “cosmetic” and “inconsequential,” according to Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, president of the Yale Chief Executive Leadership Institute. Instead of abandoning DEI, many businesses are rebranding or modifying their messaging while maintaining their core diversity efforts.
“Most of the leaders I speak to absolutely see the value [of diversity],” said Tarang Amin, CEO of e.l.f. Beauty, a cosmetics company that continues to support its DEI programs. “There’s just so much data that says diverse teams perform better than homogeneous teams, that diverse thought really drives better outcomes.”
Costco recently rejected a proposal from the National Center for Public Policy Research, a conservative think tank, that sought to force the company to disclose the financial risks of its diversity and inclusion initiatives. The group accused Costco of potential “illegal discrimination” against employees who are “white, Asian, male or straight.”
Costco defended its DEI policies, stating that they play a crucial role in attracting and retaining a diverse workforce while enhancing its business operations and customer experience. The company also noted that its customers value engaging with a workforce that reflects a broad range of backgrounds.
“Among other things, a diverse group of employees helps bring originality and creativity to our merchandise offerings, promoting the ‘treasure hunt’ that our customers value,” Costco wrote in its proxy statement to investors. It also emphasized that diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts “enhance our capacity to attract and retain employees who will help our business succeed.”
