Target Joins Walmart in Ending DEI Programs After Trump's Order to Fire DEI Staff

Jan 25, 2025, 12:57 AM

Target Corp. announced that it is scaling back its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, becoming the latest major U.S. company to retreat from such programs following President Donald Trump's executive order directing federal agencies to terminate DEI staff within 60 days. The retailer plans to end its workforce diversity targets, including a pledge to increase the representation of Black employees by 20%, and will conclude its supplier diversity programs supporting Black and minority-owned products. Target will also cease participating in national diversity surveys, including the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index. This decision comes amid increasing pressure from conservative activists and legal challenges, including a lawsuit from America First Legal alleging Target misled shareholders about risks tied to its LGBTQ activism. Target joins other corporations like Walmart, McDonald's, and Meta in re-evaluating their DEI policies in response to new directives from the White House.