How the Democratic Party Lost Ground in the Battle over DEI
Conservatives achieved victory in the culture war by capitalizing on the backlash against the Black Lives Matter protests.
TroibNews 
Donald Trump’s initiative to swiftly dismantle diversity efforts within the federal government symbolizes the peak of a significant conservative backlash against the antiracism movement that gained momentum in 2020.
In the wake of the "END RACISM" messaging visible on professional football fields and the removal of Uncle Ben and Aunt Jemima imagery from stores, many voters grew increasingly frustrated. They perceived these actions as a superficial assault that extended beyond the police brutality highlighted by George Floyd's death. As hiring managers nationwide adopted diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, Republicans initiated a culture war against what they termed the "woke agenda," which propelled them to success—from local school boards to facilitating Trump's return to the White House.
The political landscape surrounding race has shifted dramatically in just a few years, and Trump is now leveraging this change.
"What a storytelling win for Trump," remarked DeRay McKesson, a progressive activist who gained recognition during the Black Lives Matter protests in Ferguson, Missouri. "That is a failure of storytelling on the left and a huge win on the right."
On his first day back in office, as part of a conservative agenda outlined in Project 2025 aimed at tightening control over the federal workforce, Trump labeled DEI programs as discriminatory and mandated their removal from government institutions.
During the previous administration, it was the Democrats who championed pro-diversity initiatives, even participating in photo opportunities while wearing kente cloths and kneeling in solidarity with Black Lives Matter protesters inside the U.S. Capitol. Now, they find themselves lacking a coherent strategy to counter Trump’s push against DEI or to regain the support of voters crucial to thwarting him.
Trump’s campaign emphasized his first term's economic achievements, which included record low unemployment for Black and Latino Americans, garnering historically high support from these demographics last fall. However, the initial months of his presidency could be marked by the elimination of jobs for many Black and brown federal employees.
Numerous workers in federal agencies have already been placed on paid administrative leave following Trump’s directive, including employees at the Department of Education involved in a voluntary “Diversity Change Agent Program” initiated during Trump's first term. The president also dismissed high-ranking Democrats from bipartisan agencies charged with enforcing anti-discrimination laws, prompting concerns regarding the oversight of discrimination in the private sector.
This week, a conservative nonprofit launched a website listing the names and photos of employees on its "DEI watch list." The American Accountability Foundation claims the website aims to expose the prevalence of such positions in government employment, while critics argue it serves as a tool for encouraging harassment against private citizens.
Neither the White House nor the Office of Management and Budget revealed how many individuals will be impacted by Trump’s executive order against DEI within the federal government.
“President Trump campaigned on ending the scourge of DEI from our federal government and returning America to a merit-based society where people are hired based on their skills, not for the color of their skin," stated White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. "This is another win for Americans of all races, religions, and creeds. Promises made, promises kept. It should come as no surprise.”
While diversity programs have existed for decades, Trump has frequently targeted them for criticism. He previously blamed “woke generals” for the tumultuous U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, referred to Vice President Kamala Harris as a “DEI-hire,” and insinuated, without evidence, that diversity initiatives contributed to the deadliest airline crash in two decades and inadequacies among air traffic controllers.
“I just think there’s this sort of white male grievance they’re catering to,” noted Debra D’Agostino, a Washington-based employment lawyer who has received inquiries from workers impacted by the DEI-related purges from government roles.
The administration's order poses a threat to decades of efforts aimed at reducing bias in federal hiring practices designed to create a workforce that genuinely reflects the nation it serves.
These initiatives—previously supported without major opposition—were not solely focused on achieving diversity. Proponents maintain that they sought to access underrepresented talent pools for crucial roles necessary for administering a variety of programs, from facilitating government-backed loans for prospective minority homeowners to filling positions in cybersecurity and STEM fields at institutions like the National Academy of Sciences.
As the pendulum swung in the aftermath of 2020, conservative activists witnessed early electoral gains. Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin attributed his unexpected victory in predominantly Democratic Virginia to discontent over how elite high schools modified their admissions processes in pursuit of equity. Long before Trump signaled his political resurgence, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis prohibited the teaching of diversity topics in public schools. Additionally, grassroots organizations such as Moms For Liberty and Citizens Defending Freedom emerged nationwide, successfully altering school board elections and curricula.
They also secured significant legal victories, aided by a Supreme Court boasting a six-seat Republican majority, three justices appointed by Trump himself.
“I think with Trump, the Supreme Court striking down race-conscious admissions at Harvard and University of North Carolina is a huge part of this. It has been taken as license to kill DEI,” stated Sherrilyn Ifill, president and direct-counsel emeritus of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.
Moreover, the court's landmark ruling granting presidents immunity for “official acts”—which could render impeachment the only genuine limitation on presidential authority—has further emboldened Trump, Ifill added. “Trump right now is not possible without those two decisions.”
Further dismantling of DEI initiatives seems imminent. Edward Blum, the conservative legal activist who successfully spearheaded the affirmative action case against Harvard, mentioned in an email that diversity practices have long been “illegal, as well as polarizing,” claiming his case has “energized many public interest legal organizations to challenge these practices.”
Although Democrats are attempting to mount a counteroffensive, the party remains reeling from significant electoral defeats last fall and finds itself marginalized within Washington.
Critics argue that Democrats have been unprepared and lagging in their response to this offensive against the values central to a party that has traditionally regarded its multiracial coalition as a strength, especially as it is witnessing a loss of support from Black and Latino voters to Trump's iteration of the Republican party.
The consequences of these actions are likely to extend far beyond Trump’s presidency, jeopardizing the stability and livelihoods of hundreds of workers.
“The federal government used to be the safe place to get a job,” shared a Black federal worker, who requested anonymity to express their views candidly. "But not anymore."
Sanya Singh for TROIB News
In the wake of the "END RACISM" messaging visible on professional football fields and the removal of Uncle Ben and Aunt Jemima imagery from stores, many voters grew increasingly frustrated. They perceived these actions as a superficial assault that extended beyond the police brutality highlighted by George Floyd's death. As hiring managers nationwide adopted diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, Republicans initiated a culture war against what they termed the "woke agenda," which propelled them to success—from local school boards to facilitating Trump's return to the White House.
The political landscape surrounding race has shifted dramatically in just a few years, and Trump is now leveraging this change.
"What a storytelling win for Trump," remarked DeRay McKesson, a progressive activist who gained recognition during the Black Lives Matter protests in Ferguson, Missouri. "That is a failure of storytelling on the left and a huge win on the right."
On his first day back in office, as part of a conservative agenda outlined in Project 2025 aimed at tightening control over the federal workforce, Trump labeled DEI programs as discriminatory and mandated their removal from government institutions.
During the previous administration, it was the Democrats who championed pro-diversity initiatives, even participating in photo opportunities while wearing kente cloths and kneeling in solidarity with Black Lives Matter protesters inside the U.S. Capitol. Now, they find themselves lacking a coherent strategy to counter Trump’s push against DEI or to regain the support of voters crucial to thwarting him.
Trump’s campaign emphasized his first term's economic achievements, which included record low unemployment for Black and Latino Americans, garnering historically high support from these demographics last fall. However, the initial months of his presidency could be marked by the elimination of jobs for many Black and brown federal employees.
Numerous workers in federal agencies have already been placed on paid administrative leave following Trump’s directive, including employees at the Department of Education involved in a voluntary “Diversity Change Agent Program” initiated during Trump's first term. The president also dismissed high-ranking Democrats from bipartisan agencies charged with enforcing anti-discrimination laws, prompting concerns regarding the oversight of discrimination in the private sector.
This week, a conservative nonprofit launched a website listing the names and photos of employees on its "DEI watch list." The American Accountability Foundation claims the website aims to expose the prevalence of such positions in government employment, while critics argue it serves as a tool for encouraging harassment against private citizens.
Neither the White House nor the Office of Management and Budget revealed how many individuals will be impacted by Trump’s executive order against DEI within the federal government.
“President Trump campaigned on ending the scourge of DEI from our federal government and returning America to a merit-based society where people are hired based on their skills, not for the color of their skin," stated White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. "This is another win for Americans of all races, religions, and creeds. Promises made, promises kept. It should come as no surprise.”
While diversity programs have existed for decades, Trump has frequently targeted them for criticism. He previously blamed “woke generals” for the tumultuous U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, referred to Vice President Kamala Harris as a “DEI-hire,” and insinuated, without evidence, that diversity initiatives contributed to the deadliest airline crash in two decades and inadequacies among air traffic controllers.
“I just think there’s this sort of white male grievance they’re catering to,” noted Debra D’Agostino, a Washington-based employment lawyer who has received inquiries from workers impacted by the DEI-related purges from government roles.
The administration's order poses a threat to decades of efforts aimed at reducing bias in federal hiring practices designed to create a workforce that genuinely reflects the nation it serves.
These initiatives—previously supported without major opposition—were not solely focused on achieving diversity. Proponents maintain that they sought to access underrepresented talent pools for crucial roles necessary for administering a variety of programs, from facilitating government-backed loans for prospective minority homeowners to filling positions in cybersecurity and STEM fields at institutions like the National Academy of Sciences.
As the pendulum swung in the aftermath of 2020, conservative activists witnessed early electoral gains. Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin attributed his unexpected victory in predominantly Democratic Virginia to discontent over how elite high schools modified their admissions processes in pursuit of equity. Long before Trump signaled his political resurgence, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis prohibited the teaching of diversity topics in public schools. Additionally, grassroots organizations such as Moms For Liberty and Citizens Defending Freedom emerged nationwide, successfully altering school board elections and curricula.
They also secured significant legal victories, aided by a Supreme Court boasting a six-seat Republican majority, three justices appointed by Trump himself.
“I think with Trump, the Supreme Court striking down race-conscious admissions at Harvard and University of North Carolina is a huge part of this. It has been taken as license to kill DEI,” stated Sherrilyn Ifill, president and direct-counsel emeritus of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.
Moreover, the court's landmark ruling granting presidents immunity for “official acts”—which could render impeachment the only genuine limitation on presidential authority—has further emboldened Trump, Ifill added. “Trump right now is not possible without those two decisions.”
Further dismantling of DEI initiatives seems imminent. Edward Blum, the conservative legal activist who successfully spearheaded the affirmative action case against Harvard, mentioned in an email that diversity practices have long been “illegal, as well as polarizing,” claiming his case has “energized many public interest legal organizations to challenge these practices.”
Although Democrats are attempting to mount a counteroffensive, the party remains reeling from significant electoral defeats last fall and finds itself marginalized within Washington.
Critics argue that Democrats have been unprepared and lagging in their response to this offensive against the values central to a party that has traditionally regarded its multiracial coalition as a strength, especially as it is witnessing a loss of support from Black and Latino voters to Trump's iteration of the Republican party.
The consequences of these actions are likely to extend far beyond Trump’s presidency, jeopardizing the stability and livelihoods of hundreds of workers.
“The federal government used to be the safe place to get a job,” shared a Black federal worker, who requested anonymity to express their views candidly. "But not anymore."
Sanya Singh for TROIB News
