It’s happening—executives across America are breathing a sigh of relief. Just a week after President Trump signed an executive order banning diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in the federal government, corporate leaders are seeing an opportunity to pull back from the costly, divisive policies that dominated under Biden.
“Meritocracy Is Back”
For years, businesses felt shackled by progressive mandates forcing race-based hiring over competence. Now, according to one executive at a publicly traded company, the landscape is shifting.
“It’s back to the future—meritocracy is back,” the executive told NYNext. “We aren’t going to have to base hiring on diversity, but competence.” He added that, for the first time in over a decade, he believes he can convince his board that DEI doesn’t need to be a priority.
Corporate activist Robby Starbuck—who has spearheaded campaigns against woke corporate policies—says CEOs know that DEI isn’t just bad politics, it’s bad business. “A competent CEO realizes that DEI has lost money,” Starbuck said. His efforts have already led brands like Walmart, John Deere, Harley-Davidson, and Ford to reconsider or scale back their DEI initiatives.
The Legal Heat Is Turning Up
The end of corporate DEI isn’t just about consumer backlash—it’s about legal exposure. Trump’s executive order has opened the door for DOJ investigations into hiring quotas and other discriminatory practices masquerading as inclusivity. The Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard put affirmative action on the chopping block for universities. Now, businesses are realizing that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act could be used to take down workplace DEI policies, too.
The financial sector is also feeling the pressure. During a virtual speech last week, Trump called out Bank of America and Chase for alleged discrimination against conservatives, sending a clear warning shot to woke corporations. If banks keep pushing political agendas over fair business practices, they could find themselves losing a chunk of their customer base.
Starbuck vs. JPMorgan: The DEI Debate Heats Up
Not all CEOs are backing down. JPMorgan Chase’s Jamie Dimon, when asked about pressure to ditch DEI, told CNBC: “Bring them on.” Starbuck, however, isn’t convinced Dimon even understands the radical policies his company has embraced. “Most of these executives have no clue what’s actually going on—that Ibram X. Kendi is recommended reading,” Starbuck said, referring to the infamous “How to Be an Antiracist” book that corporations like John Deere and Harley-Davidson reportedly pushed on employees.
Now, Starbuck is calling for a live debate with Dimon on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” to hash out the issue on air.
The Bottom Line: DEI Is on the Ropes
For years, companies have played politics at the expense of profits, pushing leftist ideology that alienates consumers and hurts their bottom line. But with Trump back in office and legal challenges mounting, the tide is turning. CEOs who once feared backlash for dismantling DEI policies are now realizing they have a financial—and legal—obligation to do so.
As Starbuck put it, “There is no return on investment in painting your business as political… and now there are possible legal liabilities for violating civil rights law.”
The woke experiment is crumbling. Meritocracy is making a comeback. And corporate America may finally be waking up.
