Washington, United States. President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing federal contractors and their subcontractors to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices, the White House said.
Contract clauses and compliance guidance
The White House said the executive order, signed on Thursday, requires certain federal contracts to include a clause prohibiting contractors and their subcontractors from engaging in DEI.
It directs the White House Office of Management and Budget to issue guidance to contracting agencies for compliance and to identify economic sectors whose players engage in DEI, according to the White House.
Enforcement and legal review
The order directs agencies to cancel, terminate, or suspend contracts, and to suspend or debar contractors, for failure to comply, the White House said.
It also asks the U.S. attorney general to review some violations of contractual terms prohibiting DEI and to ensure “prompt review” of civil rights actions brought by private persons, according to the White House.
Broader crackdown and competing views
The White House said Trump has cracked down on public and private organizations, from government agencies to private universities, over DEI practices.
Civil rights advocates say DEI practices help address historic inequities for marginalized groups including women, the LGBT community and ethnic minorities. Trump casts DEI as anti-merit and as discriminatory against groups like white people and men.
The White House said Trump also signed an order last year directing government agency chiefs to dismantle DEI policies at federal agencies and in the private sector.
How do you think this executive order could affect federal contractors and their subcontractors?