President Donald Trump has made dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion programs central to his political comeback, claiming they’re discriminatory and erode meritocracy. But his attacks ignore both the historical and ongoing reality of discrimination in the US workplace—especially for Black workers—and the broad public support for racial justice. Contrary to conservative talking points, DEI and racial equity programs aren’t fringe causes; they’re mainstream.
Polling consistently shows that large majorities of Americans support efforts to increase workplace diversity and reduce systemic inequity. A 2023 poll conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of the Black Economic Alliance found that 78% of Americans support corporate diversity initiatives. Among Democrats, support is overwhelming.
Black voters, who continue to face the most workplace discrimination, remain among the strongest backers of DEI programs. That’s why the Republican war on DEI presents not just a policy challenge, but also a political opportunity. At every level of government, leaders—particularly in Democratic-leaning states—have strong incentives to respond with bold, principled action.
Standing up for racial equity isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s smart politics. But if DEI is under siege, how do its proponents win the fight? It starts by reframing it.
The term DEI has become politically toxic—not because the goals are wrong, but because the term has been muddied by vague commitments, symbolic gestures, and corporate performativity. To restore momentum, DEI proponents should champion a new framework: Equal Opportunity Audits. Such audits are rooted in law, data, and transparency.
They would require companies to: Publicly list the merit-based criteria for every job. Collect demographic data on who applies and who gets hired. Compare hiring outcomes to applicant pools and benchmark them against local workforce demographics.
This approach doesn’t ask companies to hire based on race or gender—it asks them to demonstrate that their processes are fair. If a company claims to hire based on merit but consistently hires White men from a diverse applicant pool, that’s a red flag. If outcomes match the diversity of the applicants, then the company has nothing to hide.
The beauty of this approach is that audits, which consider the status of all demographic groups, will expose the lies about widespread bias against White people. Equal opportunity audits move the fight out of the culture war and into the realm of civil rights enforcement. And they have teeth: Democratic-controlled states can tie audit requirements to public contracting.
If your company wants to do business with the state of Illinois or the city of Los Angeles, you show your work. This strategy is both legally defensible and politically potent. States where Democrats have a political stronghold account for nearly 70% of US GDP and host many Fortune 500 companies.
Policies enacted in those states can ripple across the national economy without waiting for federal action. For decades, DEI programs have sought to make opportunity more equitable in the US. They grew out of the civil rights lawsuits of the 1980s and 1990s—legal actions brought by Black workers, women, LGBTQ+ people, and others who were denied promotions, pay, or jobs because of who they were.
These programs were never about giving undue handouts. They were about stopping discrimination and ensuring that the protections of the 14th Amendment applied to everyone. They still are.
DEI supporters shouldn’t cede this ground. They should stand firm—armed with data, backed by public opinion, and motivated by both justice and political self-interest. Donald Trump’s war against DEI is real, but it’s winnable.
If DEI supporters shift the terms of the debate away from White grievances to fairness, transparency, and equal opportunity, they can gain a long-term advantage by speaking to the values that most Americans believe these programs promote. This article does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Bloomberg Industry Group, Inc., the publisher of Bloomberg Law and Bloomberg Tax, or its owners. Author Information Alvin B. Tillery Jr. is director of the Center for the Study of Diversity and Democracy at Northwestern University.
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