What is DEI? Trump suggests diversity policies to blame for DC plane crash
Since President Donald Trump regained the White House, he has fought to remove all DEI programs from the federal government, blaming diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives for many of the country's ills.
On Thursday morning, without evidence of how, Trump suggested that the collision between a commercial airliner and a military helicopter in Washington, D.C. that killed 67 people the night before was the fault of DEI programs instituted by former presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden and former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, claiming that DEI hires in the Army, airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration had lowered standards.
“The FAA — another story — determined that the workforce was too white. They actually came out with a directive, too white, and we want the people that are competent,” he said, after reading part of the FAA's DEI website page.
When a reporter asked how he could point to DEI as the reason for the crash before any investigation, he shot back: “Because I have common sense.”
On Friday, 12 state attorneys released a joint statement condemning Trump's assault on DEI programs.
“President Trump’s executive orders are unnecessary and disingenuous," the statement says, "These orders have nothing to do with combatting discrimination. The Trump administration has longstanding civil rights laws at its disposal to combat real discrimination, and we would be willing partners if it chose to pursue this path. Instead, the administration is targeting lawful policies and programs that are beneficial to all Americans.
"These policies and programs are not only consistent with state and federal anti-discrimination laws, they foster environments where everyone has an opportunity to succeed. That is the opposite of discrimination."
No evidence yet of DEI involved in Washington plane disaster
The National Transportation Safety Board has only just started its investigation into the cause of the crash. Multiple media outlets have reported that only one air traffic controller was responsible for directing helicopters and commercial airliners that night, a job usually handled by two staffers.
Trump critics have pointed out that his day-one executive order freezing the hiring of federal civilian employees prevented the hiring of air traffic controllers. It is uncertain if the order applies since it excludes public safety which may or may not exclude air traffic controllers and there is no evidence the order had an effect in this event.
The FAA also is currently without a head. The former administrator, Michael Whitaker, resigned on Jan. 20, a few months after billionaire and new White House advisor Elon Musk, who has battled the FAA over multiple safety regulation fines from SpaceX launches, called for him to step down. On Friday, Trump appointed U.S. Air Force and FAA career veteran Chris Rocheleau as acting FAA head.
Trump did not mention Whitaker or the hiring freeze in the Thursday morning press conference. Newly confirmed Cabinet members Sean Duffy, transportation secretary, and Pete Hegseth, Department of Defense secretary, followed Trump to praise his leadership and vow that they would eradicate DEI policies and hire only qualified individuals in their departments.
What is DEI, and why is Trump so determined to kill it? Here's what to know.
What is DEI?
Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is a term used to describe programs and policies that encourage fairer representation and participation for groups that have been historically and systematically marginalized, such as Black people, women, LGBTQ+ community members, disabled people and ethnic minorities in the United States.
DEI programs in business are intended to make sure that everyone — especially groups that have historically been underrepresented or discriminated against — receives fair treatment and that differences are embraced to improve relations and teamwork and increase cultural sensitivity. In education, DEI typically refers to strategies, policies and practices that provide all students equal access to educational opportunities, regardless of their background, identity or abilities.
"Companies that are diverse, equitable, and inclusive are better able to respond to challenges, win top talent, and meet the needs of different customer bases," said multinational consulting firm McKinsey & Company.
Where did DEI come from in the US?
Efforts to address discrimination in the U.S. have existed for centuries in the U.S. but the current DEI programs grew out of the affirmative action measures started during the Civil Rights era.
The Civil Rights Act, signed by then-President Lyndon B. Johnson, banned discrimination based on race, religion, national origin, color and sex. The act ended segregation and brought major changes to the country. Johnson also issued an executive order prohibiting discrimination in federal hiring and employment practices on the basis of race, creed, color, or national origin. (Trump revoked that action.)
DEI programs exploded in popularity during the #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements, especially after the murder of George Floyd and several other Black Americans led to worldwide protests against racism.
Why are critics against DEI?
Critics claim DEI programs prioritize minorities to the exclusion of more qualified candidates and treat them as anti-white, anti-male, ideologically-driven "woke" policies that serve as racial discrimination against white Americans, with some even saying they contribute to antisemitism.
Supporters say anti-DEI advocates see only white men as capable and intelligent and assume all women and people of color, no matter how qualified, are only in a position of power due to quotas, and warn that the rollback threatens to reverse the progress minorities have made in the workplace over the past six decades.
The anti-woke backlash over the last few years, especially after 2023 when the Supreme Court struck down affirmative-action admissions policies, has resulted in DEI programs getting dropped at many public colleges. Conservative foundations, think tanks and political activists have filed a growing number of legal challenges advocating for "colorblindness" in the workplace and pressuring companies to drop their programs.
DEI was also a special target of Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation's roadmap for a conservative president.
Since Trump took office, more big companies have publicly dropped their diversity initiatives, including Amazon, Meta, Walmart, Nissan and Target although some, such as Costco, have resisted.
What is DEIA?
Some of Trump's executive orders have also targeted DEIA programs, which mean diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility, causing some critics to worry that federal protections for disabled workers may be next on the chopping block.
What is a DEI hire?
The term DEI hire is a shortened version of "diversity hire," a pejorative term implying someone was only hired to fill a quota or check a box in a DEI program and not on their own merits.
During the 2024 presidential campaign, Tennessee Rep. Tim Burchett accused Vice President Kamala Harris, a former district attorney, California attorney general and U.S. senator, was hired for identity politics.
“One hundred percent she is a DEI hire,” he said.
What has President Trump done to eliminate DEI?
- Issued an executive order on Jan. 20 stripping all DEI programs and policies out of the federal workplace. One of Trump's day-one executive orders rescinded Biden administration orders for DEI programs throughout the entire federal government.
- Issued an executive order on Jan. 20 to terminate all DEI offices and their employees in the federal government. Agency heads were told by memo that all employees of DEI offices were on paid administrative leave and they must submit plans by Jan. 31 to fire them. Includes DEI, DEIA, “environmental justice” offices and positions, equity plans, actions, initiatives, or programs, and “equity-related” grants or contracts. The order also requires a review of all federal contractors and federal grantees who have provided DEI training.
- Issued an executive order on Jan. 20 to request a federal hiring plan to prioritize only "highly skilled Americans dedicated to the furtherance of American ideals, values, and interests" who will defend the Consitution and "faithfully serve the Executive Branch."
- Issued an executive order on Jan. 20 freezing all federal grants so they can be reviewed to ensure they match the administration's priorities, causing widespread confusion. According to a memo from the acting head of the Office of Management and Budget, Trump’s priorities included making the country safer, ending "wokeness," and promoting government efficiency. The order was challenged by congressional Democrats and at least two lawsuits before being paused by a federal judge and ultimately rescinded by the White House, although White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said reviews of all grants and loans would continue.
- Fired U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Linda Lee Fagan, the first female uniformed leader of an armed forces branch for "excessive: DEI focus, among other reasons.
- Issued an executive order on Jan. 21 to rescind more previous DEI orders, including the 1965 Equal Employment Opportunity act, that also orders agency heads to seek out and terminate any other programs that might resemble DEI initiatives; requires federal contractors and subcontractors to certify they do not use DEI programs; orders the attorney general and the Director of OMB to produce a list of top publicly-traded companies for "potential civil compliance investigations" and strategies to "encourage the private sector to end illegal DEI discrimination and preferences" including litigation; orders all institutions of higher education that receive federal grants or participate in the Federal student loan assistance program to be warned not to use DEI policies in admissions.
- Issued an executive order on Jan. 21 requiring the FAA specifically to stop all DEI hiring practices and review the past performance and performance standards of all individuals in critical safety positions with an eye to replace any that did not meet standards.
- Issued another executive order on Jan. 30 after the Washington plane crash, ordering a review of all FAA hiring decisions and changes to safety protocols made during the prior 4 years.
Trump following Florida's lead
DEI programs have long been a particular target for Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The "Stop WOKE Act" in 2022 limited discussion of race, gender and other topics in state university classrooms, but it also banned diversity practices and training that could make employees feel "personal responsibility" for actions committed in the past by someone of the "same race, color, sex or national origin." That part of the Act was permanently struck down by a federal judge.
After the liberal arts college New College of Florida in Sarasota had its board members replaced by conservative DeSantis appointees it quickly abolished the school’s DEI office.
In 2023, DeSantis signed legislation to ban state or federal funding for any state university programs that “advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, or promote or engage in political or social activism.”