Target ends after Trump calls for elimination of ‘illegal preferences’ – Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ: COST), Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN)

Target Corp. TGT has decided to discontinue its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) program, becoming the latest in a series of corporate America initiatives.

what happened: Minneapolis-based Target announced on Friday that it will end its DEI program, a move that may be criticized by some for potentially alienating its diverse customer base.

The company’s decision follows similar actions by other major companies, including Walmart WMT,,,, Amazon.com Inc. AHrand Yuan Platform Company Yuan Trump administration targets DEI initiatives.

Earlier this week, President Trump directed federal agencies to eliminate DEI programs and called on private companies to end what he called “illegal DEI discrimination and preferences.”

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Target’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) program was initially scheduled to be extended through 2025 and includes the Racial Equity Action and Change (Coverage) initiative. Under the initiative, the company committed more than $2 billion to invest in Black-owned businesses. The program also seeks to boost its offerings from more than 500 Black-owned brands and increase awareness of various brands through funding provided by its in-house media company, Roundel.

Target faces backlash over its decision, with critics stressing that its long-standing reputation for inclusivity helps attract a younger, more diverse customer base. “For Target, this is their version of brand suicide,” Eric Schiffer of reputation management consultants told Reuters.

Why is it important: Target’s decision to end its DEI program is part of a larger trend among corporate America. McDonald’s also previously announced it would be withdrawing several diversity programs at the company level, citing a “changing legal landscape” and growing pressure from conservative activists.

Meanwhile, CEO Yuan Mark Zuckerberg During a podcast with Joe Rogan, concerns were expressed about companies moving away from “masculine energy.” Zuckerberg’s comments came after Mehta announced his decision to cut back on DEI initiatives.

at the same time, Costco Wholesale Company cost Stand on the ground. In a near-unanimous vote, shareholders reaffirmed their support for the company’s existing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, Forbes reports. That’s despite a proxy proposal from the National Center for Public Policy Research that calls for an audit to assess Costco’s “litigation, reputational and financial risks.”

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Disclaimer: This content was produced in part with assistance from Benzinga Neuro, and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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