A plurality of Americans support efforts to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs across the government, workplaces and schools, according to two recent polls.
Half of voters, or 49%, think that DEI programs should be terminated “because they create divisions and inefficiencies in the workplace by putting too much emphasis on race and other social factors over merit, skills and experience,” according to an NBC News poll released Tuesday. Meanwhile, just 48% of voters think that DEI programs in the workplace should continue “because diverse perspectives reflect our country, create innovative ideas and solutions, encourage unity and make our workplaces fair and inclusive.”
A slightly higher number of voters, 43%, said they have negative feelings towards DEI programs, while just 39% had positive views and 14% said they were neutral, according to the NBC News poll.
Relatedly, a survey from The Economist/YouGov published in January found that the majority of voters, 45%, support ending DEI programs in schools and the government. Of those surveyed, just 40% said they did not support dismantling the diversity programs.
President Donald Trump has made dismantling DEI programs in K-12 schools, universities and federal government agencies a priority thus far in his second presidency. Trump signed a Jan. 20 executive order to terminate DEI initiatives and preferencing across the federal government, claiming that the programs are “radical and wasteful.”
“The Biden Administration forced illegal and immoral discrimination programs, going by the name ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion,’ into virtually all aspects of the Federal Government, in areas ranging from airline safety to the military,” Trump wrote in the executive order.
Despite many Americans supporting the Trump administration’s ongoing attempts to crack down on any DEI initiatives in schools and the government, the efforts have been met with significant pushback from Democrats. Nevertheless, a string of U.S.-based businesses have begun walking back their DEI efforts over the past year amid intense public scrutiny.
The NBC News poll was conducted March 7-11 and surveyed 1,000 registered voters nationally. The poll’s margin of error is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
The Economist/YouGov poll was conducted Jan. 19-21, and surveyed 1609 U.S. adults. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.
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