How President Trump Can Eliminate DEI in Government, Corporations, and Schools: A Path Forward
By Bobby Darvish, Founder of Darvish Intelligence
As a former executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in Columbus, former president of the Muslim Forum of Utah, and an ex-vegan socialist turned Christian conservative and Latter-day Saint (LDS), I have witnessed the drastic effects of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies on American institutions. From my unique perspective as an Iranian-American, ex-Muslim, and veteran in both activism and political analysis, I have come to see DEI as a form of cultural Marxism designed to undermine American values and promote division. In this article, I will explain how former President Donald Trump, should he return to office, can effectively dismantle DEI in government agencies, civilian organizations, corporations, and schools—restoring meritocracy and unity in the United States.
The DEI Agenda: A Threat to National Unity
The rise of DEI programs has coincided with the increasing radicalization of the left, influencing institutions from K-12 schools to Fortune 500 companies. These policies often prioritize race, gender, and sexual identity over merit, creating a divisive atmosphere rather than fostering true inclusivity. The key objectives of DEI—diversity, equity, and inclusion—are not inherently harmful; however, the way they are implemented often distorts these concepts to the point where they can no longer achieve their stated goals.
Rather than promoting equal opportunities for all, DEI has become a tool of political correctness used to enforce ideological conformity. This leads to the exclusion of individuals who do not fit into a narrow set of progressive values. As a result, individuals who are qualified based on their experience and abilities are sometimes passed over for positions, not due to their competence, but because of their race, sex, or religious beliefs.
The Impact on Government and Civilian Organizations
Under the Biden administration, DEI policies have been entrenched in government agencies, where hiring and promotion decisions are often driven by social justice agendas rather than the principles of merit and fairness. As a former activist, I saw firsthand how CAIR and other organizations used these types of policies to advance their political goals, rather than to address true concerns related to civil rights.
A Trump administration could take several steps to dismantle DEI in government:
Executive Orders Banning DEI Hiring Quotas: Trump could issue an executive order directing all federal agencies to eliminate hiring quotas or preference for candidates based on race, sex, or sexual orientation. This would refocus government hiring practices on merit and qualifications rather than identity politics.
Cutting Federal Funding to DEI Initiatives: Another effective approach would be for Trump to reallocate federal funds currently being used to support DEI programs. Government grants and subsidies to universities, corporations, and non-profits should be contingent on the elimination of DEI initiatives that promote discrimination or reverse discrimination.
Appointing Constitutionalists to Key Positions: By appointing judges and administrators who are committed to upholding constitutional principles, Trump can create a legal framework to fight against discriminatory practices and reverse the spread of DEI policies in government.
Corporate America and DEI: An Unholy Alliance
Corporations have increasingly adopted DEI policies, with some of the largest companies publicly committing to diversity goals. The problem with these corporate DEI initiatives is that they often overlook merit and create a culture of division in the workplace. As a former socialist, I initially believed that corporations had a duty to uplift disadvantaged communities, but now I see that DEI in the corporate world is often just a way to appease activists, gain government contracts, or avoid reputational damage, rather than being a genuine effort to create fairness or opportunity.
Under a Trump administration, steps could be taken to curb the corporate embrace of DEI:
Tax Breaks for Merit-Based Hiring: Trump could introduce tax incentives for corporations that adopt merit-based hiring practices rather than race- or gender-based quotas. This would encourage companies to prioritize qualifications and experience while reducing the pressure to implement divisive DEI programs.
Regulation of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Trump could call for greater scrutiny of CSR programs that prioritize political agendas over actual social good. This includes DEI initiatives that, rather than supporting the community, often only promote the ideological goals of certain political factions.
Regulations on Government Contracts: Trump could impose requirements for private companies bidding on government contracts, mandating that they show their commitment to merit-based hiring practices and non-discriminatory promotion systems.
DEI in Schools: The Brainwashing of America's Youth
Perhaps the most alarming aspect of DEI’s spread is its infiltration into K-12 education and higher learning institutions. Under the guise of “inclusive education,” children are taught to view the world through the lens of race, gender, and identity. As someone who was educated in both Iran and the U.S., I’ve seen the ways in which education can either unite or divide a nation. DEI in schools is clearly designed to divide, pushing young people into silos of “oppressed” versus “oppressor.”
The way forward in schools is to reaffirm the principle of colorblind meritocracy and provide education that values individual character and academic achievement over identity. Trump can use his platform to support the following:
Ending Race-Based Admissions in Universities: Trump could push to end race-based college admissions policies, which have been shown to harm both minority students, who may feel that their achievements are overshadowed by quotas, and majority students who may be unfairly disadvantaged.
Promoting School Choice: Trump should continue advocating for school choice, which would empower parents to send their children to schools that are free from ideological indoctrination. Charter schools and private schools, in particular, are less likely to adopt DEI programs and more likely to focus on academic excellence.
Curriculum Reforms: Trump could push for the adoption of a national education standard that focuses on teaching critical thinking, historical accuracy, and American civic values, without pushing students into polarized political ideologies.
Conclusion: Restoring Unity and Merit
In my journey from a socialist to a Christian conservative, I have come to understand the importance of unity, merit, and individual liberty. DEI policies, while originally aimed at helping underrepresented groups, have instead become a tool for sowing division, undermining meritocracy, and distorting our nation’s values. President Trump, should he return to office, has a clear path forward to eliminate DEI in government, corporations, and schools by reasserting the principles of fairness, merit, and unity that have made America great.
We cannot afford to let DEI policies continue to divide our country. It is time to return to a system where individuals are judged based on their abilities and character, not their identity. With the right leadership, we can dismantle this destructive agenda and restore a more unified and prosperous America.
Citations:
- Vance, J.D. Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis. HarperCollins, 2016.
- Sowell, Thomas. Discrimination and Disparities. Hoover Institution Press, 2018.
- Ramaswamy, Vivek. Woke, Inc.: Inside Corporate America's Social Justice Scam. Hachette Books, 2021.
- Ginsberg, Benjamin, et al. We the People: An Introduction to American Government. W.W. Norton & Company, 2020.
- Bannon, Steve. "The War on Meritocracy," The War Room. Real America's Voice, 2020.
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