Did Walmart Cut Back DEI Activities to Appease Trump Amid 'Work Culture' Crackdown?

"Supplier Contracts Will Not Consider Racial Minorities or Sexual Minorities"

Walmart

Walmart, the largest retailer in the United States, has announced that it will withdraw its workplace 'DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion)' policy.

This move by Walmart has attracted attention as it comes amid President-elect Donald Trump's promise to eradicate the powerful 'woke culture' that has been influential in the U.S.

On the 25th (local time), Walmart stated that it will no longer consider racial or gender differences in supplier contracts going forward and will suspend some DEI activities, such as removing certain LGBTQ-related products from its website. This also includes scaling back racial equality training for employees and reviewing the suspension of support for LGBTQ advocacy groups.

This announcement came after anti-DEI activist Robby Starbuck posted on social media that he would lead a boycott against Walmart ahead of Black Friday, the biggest shopping event of the year. Starbuck, who has 700,000 followers on X (formerly Twitter), has amplified his criticism of DEI with retweets from Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, increasing its impact.

However, Walmart denied that the reduction of DEI roles was due to Starbuck's pressure, stating that the discussions had been ongoing prior to his campaign. A Walmart spokesperson explained, “This action is being implemented to open doors of opportunity and foster a sense of belonging for all employees, customers, and suppliers.”

Some analysts interpret Walmart’s retreat as a response to the re-election of Trump, who has expressed skepticism toward DEI initiatives. Trump's advisory team includes several figures critical of DEI, including CEO Musk. Steven Miller, former White House senior advisor and newly appointed Deputy Chief of Staff for the next administration, has a history of suing companies and challenging the federal government over DEI activities, claiming they constitute reverse discrimination against white men. On the 20th, Mike Johnson, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives (Republican, Louisiana), banned transgender women from using women’s restrooms in the Washington D.C. federal Capitol and House buildings, which some interpret as a 'preview' of how DEI policies might change under a second Trump administration.

Bloomberg News predicted that Walmart’s decision could have a significant ripple effect across American corporations. Walmart was one of the companies actively engaged in DEI efforts, having pledged to contribute more to people of color following the 2020 death of African American George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer. According to Walmart’s latest 2024 Culture and Diversity Report, 49% of Walmart’s new hires in the U.S. are women, and 29% of those women are people of color.