Trump slashed DEI. Now it’s making a surprising bipartisan comeback

Political pressure during the Trump era forced corporate America to put its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives on ice.

Now, in a surprising turn, growing rank-and-file buy-in is driving a quiet thaw across party lines, with even Republican employees expressing approval for such workplace programs.

This unexpected bipartisan support for DEI emerged in the latest Bentley University-Gallup Business in Society survey provided exclusively to USA TODAY. Though views remain deeply polarized, workers across the ideological spectrum are growing more positive about the workplace benefits of diversity programs.

Nearly three-quarters (72%) of Americans believe promoting DEI should be a priority for businesses. What's more, public faith in the bottom-line benefits of diversity is climbing as more Americans link diverse workforces to increased profitability and innovation than at any point in the past two years.

The findings defy expectations in today's political climate and even surprised researchers.

President Donald Trump took office pledging to eliminate "woke" Biden-era policies that he argues elevate race and gender above merit. The administration's crackdown has sent shockwaves through the corporate world.

Fearing federal investigations and lost government contracts, major U.S. companies rushed to dismantle their diversity initiatives. In the latest sign of escalating enforcement, the Justice…

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/money/