LDF Condemns Trump Administration Executive Order Mandating the Elimination of DEIA in Federal Contracts

Read a PDF of our statement here.

The Legal Defense Fund (LDF) today condemned the Trump administration's latest efforts to eradicate diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives in the federal government. This comes after President Trump signed an executive order prohibiting so-called "racially discriminatory DEI" in federal contracts. The executive order contains a number of false statements about the nature of lawful equal opportunity programs and furthers the administration's divisive agenda.

Demetria McCain, Director of Policy at LDF, issued the following statement in response:

"Since passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1866, denying employment or contracting opportunities based on race has been illegal except in specific circumstances. Once again, following the most recent executive order from the Trump administration, we must set the record straight and remind everyone that civil rights laws have not changed.

"In order to put an end to lawful programs that expand opportunity for everyone, the Trump administration falsely claims that diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility programs involve racial preferences. By solely targeting race and ethnicity in his executive order, it is clear the administration is only working to advance a false and deeply harmful narrative that certain racial and ethnic groups are undeserving of their accomplishments. Not only is this untrue, it further shows ongoing animus against Black communities and other communities of color.

"The future of our economy depends on a skilled, diverse workforce. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility programs advance merit by removing barriers to employment for talent and qualified Black people and other people of color. The administration should focus on expanding these opportunities, not stripping them away and sowing seeds of division."

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Founded in 1940, the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) is the nation's first civil rights legal organization. LDF has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957, though it was founded under the leadership of Thurgood Marshall while he was at the NAACP. LDF's Thurgood Marshall Institute (TMI) is a division of LDF that undertakes innovative research and houses LDF's archive. In all media attributions, please refer to us as the Legal Defense Fund or LDF (do not include NAACP) and refer to the Institute as LDF's Thurgood Marshall Institute or TMI.