Trump anti-DEI order targets medical associations and businesses in the health care sector

President Donald Trump issued an executive order essentially banning diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives throughout the federal government, but it also targets medical associations and private sector businesses in the health care industry, among others.

Trump’s order argues that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is enough to protect all Americans from discrimination, and reads in part: “Yet today, roughly 60 years after the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, critical and influential institutions of American society, including the Federal Government, major corporations, financial institutions, the medical industry, large commercial airlines, law enforcement agencies, and institutions of higher education have adopted and actively use dangerous, demeaning, and immoral race- and sex-based preferences under the guise of so-called ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ (DEI) or ‘diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility’ (DEIA) that can violate the civil-rights laws of this Nation.”

The order states that these policies threaten the safety of all citizens by diminishing the importance of individual merit when selecting people for jobs in key sectors of society, including the medical community.

While ending all DEI programs and policies in the government, Trump is also singling out private companies, aiming to end “illegal private-sector DEI preferences, mandates, policies, programs, and activities.”

Within 120 days, the order states the attorney general shall work with the heads of other agencies to generate a report that identifies the most egregious and discriminatory DEI practitioners in each sector of concern. As part of the plan, each agency shall identify up to nine potential civil compliance investigations of publicly traded corporations, large non-profit corporations or associations, foundations with assets of 500 million dollars or more, state and local bar and medical associations, and institutions of higher education with endowments over $1 billion. The plan also will include an outline of what legal action could be taken against these companies for their alleged illegal DEI activity.

Trump also withdrew the U.S. from the World Health Organization in a prior executive order.