Fifteen Republican attorneys general are pressuring major U.S. CEOs to scrap diversity initiatives, claiming they risk breaking the law and betraying shareholders.
At a Glance
- Fifteen GOP attorneys general demand CEOs end DEI programs
- Legal risks cited include alleged racial discrimination and fiduciary neglect
- Business Roundtable, including Apple and JPMorgan, has not responded
Attorneys General Demand Corporate Retreat
A new front in the war over corporate values opened this week as fifteen Republican state attorneys general, led by Missouri’s Andrew Bailey and Arkansas’s Tim Griffin, formally demanded that top U.S. CEOs dismantle their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. Their April 15 letter, addressed to the Business Roundtable—a powerful coalition of corporate leaders—argued that such initiatives are not only politically divisive but may violate state and federal law.
The officials claim DEI programs often involve race-conscious hiring and promotion strategies that could constitute unlawful discrimination. They warned companies of potential legal exposure under civil rights laws, referencing recent actions against IBM and Starbucks as evidence of growing scrutiny. According to the attorneys general, companies emphasizing social goals over shareholder returns risk violating their fiduciary responsibilities.
Watch Reuters’ report on the incident at “Corporate DEI Faces Legal Challenge from GOP AGs”.
Business Roundtable in the Crosshairs
The Business Roundtable includes high-profile leaders from Apple, JPMorgan Chase, and Pfizer. The group’s 2019 decision to prioritize “stakeholders” over shareholders marked a cultural turning point that many conservatives have since condemned. In the new letter, the attorneys general accuse these executives of chasing social approval at the expense of legal and financial prudence.
This pressure campaign follows recent executive rollbacks. Companies like Meta, Amazon, and Walmart have already scaled back DEI commitments, citing internal restructuring or broader political shifts. Meanwhile, others, such as JPMorgan Chase, continue defending their diversity policies, though none have publicly addressed this latest legal warning.
The legal offensive aligns with prior Republican efforts, including executive orders under President Donald Trump that sought to limit DEI practices in federal agencies. Though some of those directives remain entangled in court challenges, the current corporate targeting is being cast as a natural extension of that broader ideological battle.
Democrats Push Back, CEOs Stay Silent
In a rapid response, a group of 16 Democratic attorneys general from states including California, New York, and Massachusetts fired back. Their joint statement affirmed that DEI programs, when lawfully executed, remain “fully consistent with civil rights law” and are beneficial for businesses and communities alike. They emphasized that inclusion does not equate to illegality.
Despite the uproar, the Business Roundtable has so far declined to issue any official comment. That silence leaves a vacuum as public pressure mounts from both sides of the aisle. With legal threats intensifying and political polarization deepening, corporations are being forced to navigate an increasingly treacherous legal and ideological landscape.
Whether this moment marks a turning point for corporate America or just another flashpoint in the ongoing culture war remains to be seen. But what’s certain is that the battle over DEI is now being fought not only in boardrooms—but in courtrooms.
