President Donald Trump has officially rescinded a landmark executive order that introduced affirmative action policies in federal contracting, setting a new course for merit-based hiring practices.
Breitbart reported that Trump’s new executive order eliminates all diversity, equity, and inclusion requirements in federal operations.
On Wednesday, President Trump signed the decisive new executive order that overturns Executive Order 11246, established by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965. Johnson’s order mandated affirmative action for government contractors to enhance workplace diversity.
This change marks a significant shift in federal employment and contracting policies. The Trump administration claims it aims to create a more efficiency-driven and merit-based system within federal operations.
The administration’s move is part of a broader push to eliminate what President Trump described as "destructive and divisive" mandates, which he believes have affected the performance and fairness of federal practices.
Under the new order, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will reconfigure how federal contracts are awarded.
This includes streamlining processes to improve speed, reduce costs, and ensure strict compliance with civil rights laws without enforcing demographic quotas.
President Trump argues that these changes will not only save taxpayer money but also enhance the overall competence of the federal workforce and government contractors.
The execution of these new measures will be overseen by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), which will now be barred from pressuring contractors to diversify their workforce based on race, sex, gender identity, sexual preference, or religion.
According to the White House, the previous inclusion of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) criteria in hiring and contracting decisions has hindered progress toward achieving a merit-based, colorblind workplace. This narrative follows Trump's criticism of what he terms "radical DEI" practices.
The new federal hiring practices will focus solely on the merits of individual applicants, assessing their skills, performance, and hard work. This move aligns with Trump's broader commitment to dismantle DEI policies set by previous administrations.
This sweeping reform comes after Trump’s announcement during a rally at Capital One Arena on Sunday where he reemphasized his 2023 vow to eliminate DEI initiatives. This was initially spurred by the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to strike down affirmative action in college admissions that year.
Since pledging to eradicate DEI mandates, there has been a notable withdrawal from these practices in the private sector as well, which some attribute to anticipatory compliance with the changing regulatory environment.
During his address, President Trump highlighted the intent behind these reforms. “We’re going to stop the destructive and divisive Diversity Equity and Inclusion mandates all across government and private sector and return our country to the merit system,” he declared.
This firm stance on federal employment and contracting policies represents a pivotal turn in administration policy, aiming to radically alter the landscape of federal workforce management and contracting strategies in the United States.
The abolition of Executive Order 11246 and subsequent policies related to DEI stands to redefine how equality and competence are balanced in the public sector. Critics and proponents alike are keenly observing the impact these changes will have on the diversity of the federal workforce and contractor base.